DHQ: No Evidence to Suggest ISIS Training Boko Haram Terrorists

Boko Haram attacks Borno military barracks

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja
The Nigerian military yesterday said there is no evidence that suggests that Islamic State (ISIS) has sneaked in fighters from Syria to support the Boko Haram terrorists in Nigeria, as recently reported by some sections of the media.
The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. John Agim, in a statement also assured Nigerians that the Nigerian Armed Forces will ensure that no part of the country will be under threat.

“The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) wishes to respond to a report making the round that ISIS has been sending her members to Nigeria to train Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) members. It is pertinent to state categorically that there is no concrete evidence on the ground to back their claim,” he said.
He however, recalled that the Ali Musab AI-Barnawi faction of Boko Haram in 2016 pledged allegiance to the ISIS as a result of the “troops’ fire power which dislodged them from Sambisa forest and other surrounding areas in the Northeast.

The DDI said the Nigerian army is aware that there is collaboration between terrorist groups, stressing that “the activity of one group in a country influences other groups in other countries and because of this knowledge, activities of other terrorist groups usually affect the military strategy.

Agim also accused the Amnesty International (AI) of aligning its interests with those of the terrorists with the ultimate aim of isolating the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Meanwhile, suspected Boko Haram insurgents struck yesterday at a market inside 33 Army Artillery Barracks on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno State.
A military source told The Cable, that the incident occurred around 9:30pm.

The source said suicide bombers sneaked into the barracks in a tricycle, and detonated their explosives at a relaxation spot.
“The attackers took advantage of the high influx into the mammy market as a result of the demolition of brothels in the city,” the source said.
“The Borno state government has destroyed brothels in the city centre, people now troop to the barracks which is still full of life. The suicide bombers sneaked in and struck within the crowd.”

A member of the Civilian joint task force (CJTF), Moruma Zannah told The Cable that many people were killed while those who sustained injuries were evacuated to the Maiduguri Specialist Hospital.
“I cannot ascertain the number of dead people. We all ran for our dear life,” he added.