How smuggling, politics ‘fuel activities of Boko Haram’ in Borno

Activities of Boko Haram in Borno state have been on the rise as a result of illegal business of smuggling in some local councils in the state as well due to the “interests of some politicians who benefit from the lingering crisis”.

The military since the coming of the current administration has been able to defeat the terrorists and overrun their operational base at Sambisa forest while recapturing 20 local councils spread across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

The Nigerian military had between April and July also killed more than 1500 of insurgents, “including over 30 of their top commanders and arrested more than 40 of their informants”.

The insurgents had in July attacked a community in Gubio where they killed about 80 persons including women and children.

A resident said activities of the insurgents in other states outside Borno were checked through “sustained collaboration with the political class in those states and the effective manning of border points”.

Residents of border towns in those states raise alarm when they detect any suspicious movements and close ranks with security agencies to nip the situation at the bud.

The situation is however different in Borno where some politicians have refused to cooperate with the security agencies.

“While the insurgents are able to smuggle arms through these routes, the other businessmen ship contraband with little or no fear of being apprehended,” the resident said.

He said while the fear of Boko Boko Haram drives away other competitors, those who are deep into the business prefer to sustain it as the volume of their smuggling activities has intensified.

The major smuggling route is along Gamboru-Banki and Gaidam axis of Borno State.

Abdulrahman Dambazau, former minister of interior, had a time disclosed that there are over 1,499 illegal and 84 legal officially identified entry routes into Nigeria.