TERRORISTS have dominated communities in Kaduna State and formed “a parallel governing authority”, Governor Nasir El-Rufai told President Muhammadu Buhari in a confidential letter.
According to a leaked letter exclusively obtained by Premium Times, the governor said the terrorists belonging to the Ansaru group, a faction of Boko Haram, are exercising control over social and economic activities, and are also dispensing justice, in the area.
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El-Rufai said the terrorists have advanced in their plans to make Kaduna forest areas their “permanent operational base” for the North-West region, citing a “series of intelligence reports”.
“Observed movement patterns and intercepted communications of migrating terrorists have shown a clear interest in setting up a base, with the stretches of forest area between Kaduna and Niger states strongly considered,” he wrote.
According to the letter, El-Rufai told Buhari that the terrorists have promulgated a law to ban residents from participating in the forthcoming elections.
The governor added: “The insurgents enacted a law in the District, banning all forms of political activity or campaign ahead of the 2023 elections, especially in Madobiya and Kazage villages.
“According to actionable intelligence, members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Musulmina Fi’biladis Sudan (aka Ansaru) hibernating in Kuyello district of Birnin Gwari LGA recently conducted a nuptial ceremony during which they married two yet-to-be-identified female residents of Kuyello village.
“The ceremony was attended by various Ansaru members and witnessed by residents of the area. After the marital rites, insurgents in attendance reportedly conveyed the brides to the dreaded Kuduru forest, in the same District.”
El-Rufai added that the government is becoming removed from rural communities, leaving the citizens at the mercy of violent criminals and terrorists who also reap revenues from the people.
Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via [email protected] and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.
When governor El-Rufai made the historic move to stem and curtail an impeding ugly head rearing menace of the Zaki-Zaki group. Most people condemned and berated the governor.
A DARING TERRORIST GROUP MANIFESTING RELIGION AS DECOY AND FACDE TO VEIL AND SHEILD THE EVIL IT REPRESENTED CONFRONTED THE CONVOY OF A FLAG STAFF MEMBER OF THE NIGERIAN ARMY. MOST AUDACIOUS.
We can recall when the imploding zealots first made the initial misadventure in the name of Maitatsine and how the military was able to contain and nip it the bud back then. The movement was driven into the group and decimated.
IF OBJ HAD CONDUCTED AND ADOPTED THE SAME PREVENTIVE PREEMPTIVE MEASURES AGAINST Boko Haram WHEN IT MADE ITS ENTRANCE, INSTEAD OF ROMANCING THEM IN NAME AND TACTICS OF ARCHAINC INEFFECTIVE METHOD OF CARROT AND STICK AND BY WHICH IT HAS FSTERED AND BECOME A CANCEROUS EXCERBATION NEAR INSURMOUNTABLE ALBATROS.
Governor El-Rufai had screamed at the top of his voice to the authorities about bombing the group out of their hideouts thereby existence. What he considered the most appropriate measure to the marauding menace against the Nigerian people and nation.
THE IDEA AND SUGGESTION OF THE GOVERNOR REMAINS THE MOST PRAGMATIC SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF TERRORISM BEDEVILING THE NIGERIAN NATION AND IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO TAKE TI HIS SUGGESTIONS AND OR SOLUTIONS.