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BOKO HARAM HAS FOREIGN FIGHTERS FROM MALI, BURKINA FASO — BORNO COMMISSIONER
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, made this statement on Thursday during an appearance on News Central, where he addressed the growing insecurity in the state.
The Borno State government has raised concerns over the infiltration of the state by foreign terrorist elements.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Internal Security, Usman Tar, made this statement on Thursday during an appearance on News Central, where he addressed the growing insecurity in the state.
“We have in the rank and file of Boko Haram, militants who are not from Nigeria but from neighbouring countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and other countries. That is what we mean by foreigners joining the rank and file of Boko Haram,” he said.
“It is a federal matter. We are aware that the federal government is taking steps to safeguard the territorial borders of the country. The relevant security agencies—the Army, the Police, Immigration, and others—are working hard to detect the entry of foreign assets into Nigeria.”
He described the matter as “sensitive” because “Nigeria’s boundary, and indeed boundaries all over Africa, are porous”.
“We have cases where bandits and terrorists go in and out undetected. That appears to be an Africa-wide problem,” he added.
His comments come amid rising concerns over the resurgence of Boko Haram terrorism in the state.
Earlier, Governor Babagana Zulum raised the alarm over the worsening security situation in Borno State. Recent Boko Haram attacks and the dislodgement of military formations in key areas like Wajirko, Sabon Gari, Wulgo, and Izge indicate that the state may be losing control.
Speaking at a Special Expanded Security Meeting in the first week of April, Zulum condemned the ongoing attacks and kidnappings, emphasising that such incidents were happening almost daily without any serious confrontation from security forces.
He described the situation as a serious setback for Borno and the wider North East region.
