Boko Haram Resurgence: International Actors Deploying Sect‎ to Destabilise Nigeria, Group Alleges

Adedayo‎ Akinwale in Abuja
A group under the auspices of Concerned Elder Statesmen and Patriots (COSPIN) has alleged that in an effort to undermine the integrity and wellbeing of the country, the Boko Haram sect is being deployed by international actors ‎to sabotage the country.
‎The Convener of the group, Prof. Emmanuel Ome made the disclosure while addressing a press conference on, ‘Boko Haram Threat to Nigeria and Humanity’.
He noted that the group cannot continue to keep quiet lest those sabotaging Nigeria gain the upper ‎hand and the entire African continent would be plunged into multi -faceted crises.
Ome stressed that the defeat of Boko Haram appears to have only enraged the international hands pulling the string of the Boko Haram puppet.
The group ‎queried why France has refused to declare its position on the several fighters of French origin that were apprehended with Boko Haram fighters in Sambisa forest when camp zero was captured by the military.
It added that‎ the fact that these terrorists’ instructors were declared as French nationals should have provided diplomatic fallout, stressing that France rather maintained deafening silence.
Ome noted that France also owes Nigeria and the world an explanation regarding the sighting of its aircrafts just across Nigeria’s borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger on numerous occasions by IDPs and victims of Boko Haram attacks.
According to him, “the Nigerian government must conduct further investigations into the roles being played by France and other countries in its internal affairs using Boko Haram as an occupation force with a view to fashioning corresponding diplomatic responses to these threats.”
He stressed that despite the huge presence of French troops in neighbouring countries, Boko Haram terrorists have been receiving training as well as freely moving weapons across the borders of those countries which he said are mainly Francophone countries.
He stated:”The fact that Boko Haram fighters that are fleeing suddenly have access to superior firearms that are even more sophisticated than what they had before they were chased out of Sambisa Forest. Who is supplying these weapons? How are these weapons being shipped? Why are the neighbouring countries to Nigeria’s north-east, all Francophone, not been able to flag deliveries of weapons to the terrorists?
“French President François Hollande has hosted, or caused to be hosted, several summits on Boko Haram only for things to get worse. He would have to prove that these conferences are not the cover he uses to make our security and intelligence community to share sensitive operational information which he in turn hand over to the monsters that he bred.
“The worrisome pattern that Boko Haram always kidnap expatriates of French origin each time it is broke and the government of their countries is always in a hurry to pay ransom in millions of dollars. This is nothing short of creating a legitimate front to pass money to Boko Haram in the public glare. Each time Boko Haram seals such transactions it is able to pay its fighters and buy new equipment.”
“The damage done by the insurgency has unleashed unthinkable humanitarian crisis that is already a blot on the collective human conscience and the situation must not be made worse by this policy of foreign interference.”
“In addition to all other plays to undermine the integrity and wellbeing of rhe country, Boko Haram has become the greatest tool that international actors are deploying to sabotage us,” it said.
The group therefore called on United Nations to intervene and stop undue interference and sabotaging of Nigeria whether by France or by any other foreign interest.