The Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum has warned that terrorists loyal to the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP) must not be allowed to spread their tentacles in Nigeria.
This is as he cautioned that ISWAP is more dangerous and deadlier than the Boko Haram insurgents. He added that the group is more educated and has access to more funds and other international terrorist organizations.
Speaking on Thursday in a chat with newsmen on the state on internal security, relocation of IDPs and collaborations between the state and the federal government at the presidential villa in Abuja, Zulum submitted that if the military does not crush the ISWAP fighters now, it can lead to greater trouble for the north-east region and the entire country.
The Borno State Governor warned that ISWAP can wreck more havoc than what Boko Haram has done, hence the need to shut them down before they grow too big.
“I’ve said it before that the growing number of ISWAP in some parts of the state is a matter of great concern to everybody. Where? In the shores of the Lake Chad and in Southern Borno. Luckily, I was told there was military deployment to southern Borno yesterday to fight the insurgency. But I think this is an early warning system,” Zulum said.
“We shouldn’t allow ISWAP to grow. ISWAP is more funded, sophisticated and educated, and we shall do everything possible to defeat ISWAP otherwise, what Boko Haram did will be child’s play.
“The Nigerian Army has to restrategise and defeat ISWAP. ISWAP will be a threat to the entire nation because of the fragility of the south Saharan Africa.”
The governor added that the collaborative effort between his administration and the federal government has brought about a major reduction in the number of bombing incidents, while schools, markets, and roads are getting reopened.
