Boko Haram: Borno Politicians accused of causing panic amongst residents

Politicians from Borno State have been fingered in spinning of fake news to cause panic among residents of the state.

The Arewa Youths Integrity Forum (AYIF) made this revelation on Sunday via a statement..

According to the youth group the brazen exhibition of acts of treachery and distortions of insecurity by some Nigerians, especially political players in Borno State is becoming worrisome, to say the least.

AYIF said some politicians were taking advantage of the ongoing unrest in the state to enrich themselves and settle political scores.

Alhaji Sani Kolo, Secretary General of the group said some politicians from the state were allegedly masterminding the renewed attacks on citizens and military bases in Borno State.

Addressing newsmen on Sunday, Kolo claimed some persons were exploiting the renewed feeble resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in the Northeast to spread unfounded rumours to cause panic and hysteria to the natives who left IDPs camps months back.

Kolo said, “We have had a flurry of text messages forwarded from our people who are residents of communities like Bama, Dikwa and Monguno. These SMS are from characters who feign close relations with the recipients or Nigerians “concerned” about their safety.

“The nauseating messages come with barefaced warnings of the natives of these communities to relocate to IDPs camps for unstated reasons; thereby promoting fear and panic in the residents. But these are overtly locals who are untroubled, by the feeble strikes of shadowy operations of remnants of insurgents far from their vicinities; but excited that they are dwelling in peaceful, secured villagers once abandoned for months or years.

“It will be recalled that AYIF has had cause in the past to frown at the covert activities of political power mongers in Nigeria and their local agents and collaborators who prefer to see the progression of Boko Haram insurgency and the triumph of the terrorists against the Nigerian state.

“It is an open secret; these gangs of awkward, odious, greedy and expired breed of politicians are masquerading as messiahs of today. But they delight more in bloodshed and insecurity. They infinitely hate to see the end of terrorism in Nigeria, which they have persistently exploited for both political and economic gains. They are less concerned about the pains and sorrows they have wrought on our people and the country.

“Credible evidence at our disposal astoundingly confirms that the current resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in the Northeast, especially in obscure parts of Borno are sponsored to dwarf and rubbish the positive records of President Muhammadu Buhari on Boko Haram terrorism counter-war and the other multifaceted insecurity challenges in the country. Buhari’s enemies and arch traditional political rivals have figured Mr. President as an unbeatable force in the 2019 elections and all manner of bloody distractions are contrived to belittle his efforts.

“AYIF is not bothered about how President Buhari’s opponents wish to tackle him in the electioneering campaigns preceding the next general elections in Nigeria. The political theatre is open for Nigerians to decide who leads them from May 2019. But what is certain and will NEVER be tolerated is the renewal of the bloodshed, pains and sufferings of our people in the Northeast, using the template of Boko Haram insurgency.

“We have resolved never to allow these Luciferic forces to play politics with the lives and security of our people again. And if they fail to heed to this caution, we know their identities and shall not hesitate to expose them for all Nigerian to know, as first point of the expression of our anger. AYIF is aware of their evil plots and will not watch them take us back to the Egyptian servitude of the days they controlled power in Nigeria.

“There is no real or imagined justification for anybody or group of persons to conspiratorially circulate frightfully damaging messages to natives of communities and villages in Borno, “advising” them to abandon their homesteads and relocate to IDPs camps for another round of bondage in their country.”