Boko Haram working on recruiting IDPs – Zulum

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has said that Boko Haram terrorists are now luring internally displaced persons (IDPs) to join the sect.

Zulum raised this alarm in an interview with British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

According to the governor, the IDPs are tired and bored of staying in the camps because they were not getting what they really wanted.

He said; “Truly, the Boko Haram sect is working on people to join them. This is frightening. If the IDPs living in camps could not get what they are looking for, especially the opportunity to go back to their various towns and return to farm, they may be forced to join the Boko Haram sect.

“It is important that they go back to their various towns because no government can continue to be feeding them continuously.”

Zulum also revealed that the Boko Haram members “are hiding at the Lake Chad area and the Sambisa forest. There will still be problems unless they are traced to their hiding places. Chasing them away from their headquarters is one of the solutions towards ending insurgency.”

When asked if the sect is holding any Nigerian territory, the governor said: “Truly, there is no place under the occupation of Boko Haram. But there are places with no people there. What I mean is that people are yet to return to their places of origin.”

“I swear by Allah, before the coming of Buhari, the security situation in Borno had deteriorated. At that time, 20 local government areas were under Boko Haram. Now, it’s not so.”

Speaking on efforts to end the Boko Haram insurgency, Governor Zulum said: “One surest way to end Boko Haram is ensuring a good relationship between the military and civilians.

“I keep on saying wherever you go; you will see the military and vigilante together. But what I am saying is that the military should provide protection to the civilians to enable them return home and go back to their farms.

“But what is disturbing us is, when shall this war with Boko Haram come to an end?”