The Niger State government has lamented that the terrorist groups – Boko Haram and a faction of the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP) – are attempting to set up a caliphate in some communities in the state.
On Tuesday Ahmed Matane, Secretary to Niger State government, stated this at a press conference in Minna, the state capital.
According to Matane, the terrorists have been telling communities that they are “God-send” and want to establish a caliphate, adding that they have also told the residents to forsake western education and embark on “civil disobedience”.
He said: “These people often go to communities to communicate with them and assure them that they will not harm them, and join them during Friday congregational prayer to preach to them on the need to forsake western education and embark on civil disobedience.
“Now they have made some audio recordings saying that they are there, that they are not kidnappers, that they are a religious organisation that is poised to establish a caliphate that will deal with issues of criminality and other related issues.
“They are the same people that kidnapped the Dodo of Wawa, they assured us that they are not bandits, that they are there because they are God sent.
“ISWAP is trying to establish a camp at National Park at Babana in Borgu LGA of the state.”
The Niger SSG also bemoaned that the “collaboration” between the insurgents and bandits is making the situation worse.
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