‘Corrupt elites playing politics with B/Haram’

A civil society group, Non-Violent Peace Initiative (NPI), has blamed the recent resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in Borno State on ‘never-meant-well’ politicians eyeing elective positions in 2019 elections.

NPI president, Mohammed Sahnun Idris stated this yesterday when he paid a courtesy visit to Media Trust headquarters in Abuja.

He said the insurgents have been defeated by the Buhari-led administration, but stressed that recent attacks by the sect was mere politics.

“As far as we are concerned, Boko Haram has been defeated by the Buhari government. The recent attacks perpetrated by the sect are mere political game ahead of 2019,” he said.

He, however, appealed to government and security agencies in the country to tackle the politics in the fight against terrorism before it degenerates to another humanitarian crisis.

Mohammed, who attributed the root cause of the insurgency to wrong religious ideology, said his organisation has flagged off a sensitisation campaign in mosques and churches in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states to sustain the relative peace that has returned to affected areas.

“Our organization, in partnership with government, has initiated a peaceful dialogue in the liberated areas of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa with the view to supporting and sustaining the efforts of the government in returning peace and hope to these states” he said.

He described corruption at various Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Borno State as alarming, saying some corrupt politicians in the state now divert relief materials and distribute as campaign gifts to their supporters.

This, he said, has resulted in rapes, drugs addiction and other social menace across the camps.