Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national
orientation, says Boko Haram has been significantly degraded and is “standing
on its last leg”.
Idris spoke in an interview with France24 aired Tuesday.
For over a decade, Boko Haram’s insurgency has devastated
Nigeria’s northeast, marked by brutal attacks, mass kidnappings, and the
displacement of thousands.
The militant group, notorious for its aim to establish an Islamic state, has also seized control of some LGAs.
Following years of military operations, there were
indications that the Nigerian army had made substantial progress in containing
the insurgency, creating a sense of cautious optimism.
However, that perception was recently challenged in a rare
admission after Babagana Zulum, governor of Borno, said the recent dislodgment
of military formations in some LGAs was a “significant setback” in the
country’s fight against insurgency.
Zulum expressed concerns over the resurgence of Boko Haram
attacks and kidnappings across the state and called for more concerted efforts
in tackling the terrorists.
Despite the governor’s concerns, Idris’s comments on the
matter painted a contrasting picture.
“I think they’re on their last legs,” the minister told
France 24.
“Hitherto, they were holding territories especially in the
north eastern past of Nigeria—local governments, towns, cities—now its no
longer the case.
“They’ve largely dissipated; they’ve ran into the bushes and
coming to take some soft targets.
“We’re not saying we have 100 percent exterminated Boko
Haram, but I think that we have degraded Boko Haram significantly for them to
pose any significant challenge for us as a country.”
The minister also roped the Islamic State West Africa
Province (ISWAP) among terrorist organisations that are standing “on their last
legs” while adding that security agencies would soon “crush” the Lakurawa
group.
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