#Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information

[saynaija]

Nigerian Army School Of Public Relations and Information Graduates Students Of First Quarter Course Of 2024

Nigerian Army School Of Public Relations and Information Graduates Students Of First Quarter Course Of 2024 The Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information (NASPRI) has graduated students of First Quarter Courses 2024 today 27 March 2024 at the school auditorium in Muhammadu Buhari Cantonment, Giri Abuja. The students compromises of Young Officers Course (YOC) 13/24, A3 Photography,…

[mycelebrityandi]

Terrorists attack Presidential Guards after threat to abduct Buhari Barely 24 hours after terrorists threatened to abduct President Muhammadu Buhari and Kaduna Governor Nasir el’Rufai in a viral video, troops of the Guards Brigade have been ambushed by armed bandits in Abuja. Three soldiers were wounded during the attack, which has thrown residents of the Federal Capital Territory into a panic. The bandits were headed to the Nigerian Law School in Bwari when they ran into the troops. There were Intelligence reports, according to military sources, the terrorists have laid siege to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with the intention to attack the Law School in Bwari and other government facilities. Military sources that pleaded anonymity said the attack was a confirmation of the terrorists’ siege to the city but authorities said they were on the trail of the assailants. According to one of the sources, troops of 7 Guards Battalion on routine patrol along Kubwa – Bwari road were ambushed by the suspected terrorists. He added three soldiers were injured during the attack and have been evacuated to THE hospital for medical attention. “The ambush happening within the general area of Bwari shows that the terrorists are actually within the location and possibly to carry out their plans of attacking the Law School in Bwari as earlier reported,” the source stated. When contacted, Assistant Director Army Public Relations, Guards Brigade, Captain Godfrey Abakpa, confirmed that soldiers were attacked by suspected terrorists but were repelled successfully. He added the wounded soldiers have been evacuated to a medical facility and were receiving treatment. “They were attacked and the attack was successfully repelled. We had a few wounded in action who have been taken to the hospital and are receiving treatments. “At the moment our troops are still combing the general area to get rid of the criminals that have been threatening the general area. It is advised that residents go about their lawful businesses and keep cooperating with us by giving us timely information to enable us win the fight against the criminals”. Via The Nation #nigeria #mycelebrityandi https://www.instagram.com/p/CgcoPJALi-8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sayflexxyblog]

Digital media, enabler of digital economy development

Digital media, enabler of digital economy development

The Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, has referred Digital Media as one of the key enablers of Digital Economy, according to him, awareness is fundamental for the growth and development of any nation. Abdullahi said this while playing host to the Commandant of the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and…

[9jabreed]

Army Chief Rejigs Generals, Names Prrincipal Staff Officers, Field Commanders

Army Chief Rejigs Generals, Names Prrincipal Staff Officers, Field Commanders

The Chief of Army Staff, Maj Gen Farouk Yahaya, on Saturday appointed principal staff officers, Field Commanders and other key staff. The development was disclosed by the Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu. The Commandant Nigerian Army Armoured School, Maj Gen BO Sawyer is the new Director of Defence Information, while the Chief of Operations Army, Maj Gen IM…

[thisdaynews]

BREAKING:5000 Sokoto Villagers Flee As Bandits Retaliate Military Onslaught.

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/breaking5000-sokoto-villagers-flee-as-bandits-retaliate-military-onslaught/

BREAKING:5000 Sokoto Villagers Flee As Bandits Retaliate Military Onslaught.

About 5000 people from some villages across Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State are said to have fled their homes as bandits allegedly ransacked their communities in retaliation over the ongoing military onslaught in the area.

Daily Trust reported that fighter jets have been bombarding suspected hideouts of the bandits in Kagara forest around Isa and Sabon Birni local government areas. Some of the bandits were said to have fled to nearby villages during the onslaught and later regrouped and attacked the other villages.

Daily Trust learnt that the bandits killed six people, carted away yet to be ascertained number of livestock, and looted shops, but there was no report of an abduction. One of the fleeing villagers told Daily Trust that the communities affected were Bafarawa, Arune, Suruddudu, Sabon Gari Lugu, Tsillawa, Gwalama and Dan Adama villages, all in Isa Local Government Area.

According to the villager, who pleaded not to be named, two persons were killed in Tsillawa and Suruddudu villages and three in Gebe village. He added that all the villages were now deserted as the inhabitants, estimated at about 5000, have fled to either Isa or Shinkafi town in Zamfara State, while others were staying with their relatives in other places.

Another source revealed to our reporter that, “The air raid would have been more damaging on the bandits had there been ground troops to mop them up while fleeing the forest.

“When they were threatening to come back and retaliate, we thought it was just a mere empty threat, until around midnight on Tuesday when they came in their hundreds on motorcycles and starting ransacking our villages,” he said. “They killed about six people, carted away livestock and looted shops,” he added.

Another source told our reporter that the bandits also blocked and killed many motorists and passengers along Isa road on Tuesday night.

The Information Officer of Isa Local Government Area, Surajo Isa, who confirmed the development, said some of the fleeing villagers were taking refuge in Sardauna and Maitandu primary schools in Isa town, while the sole administrator of the area had provided them with food.

The Commissioner for Careers and Security Matters, Colonel Garba Moyi (rtd), who is from the area, could not be reached for comments as he did not respond to calls.

Similarly, the spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, ASP Muhammad Sadiq, and the acting Public Relations Officer of 8 Division of the Nigerian Army, Lieutenant Hammaga could not be reached for comment as at the time of filing this report.

However, the acting spokesman of 199 Composite Group of the Nigerian Airforce, Flight Lieutenant Tambari, promised to call back after getting clearance to speak to the press but he was yet to do so at press time.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, who was in Sokoto to flag-off the second phase of Air Interdiction operation in the state last Monday, assured that the operation would be sustained until the state, and the entire Northwest region are rid of banditry.

[shegzbanj]

Linda Ikeji speaks at the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information Media Workshop (photos) https://ift.tt/2s5CTfh

[impactng]

Impending attack on Maiduguri is fake news - Army

The Nigerian Army on Thursday urged the members of the public to disregard the alleged attacks on Maiduguri city and environs. It added that residents should carry on with their routine lawful businesses without fear or hindrance. Col. Ado Isa, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, made this known in a statement on the army’s social media handle. He described as false the information on social media that terrorists planned to execute deadly attacks on some selected populated areas. “Members of the public are urged to disregard the rumor of ‘deadly attacks’ on Maiduguri and environs. “The fake news is circulated by mischievous elements and other collaborators of the criminals with the aim to instill fear and panic in the minds of the people. “It is also to sabotage the efforts of the military and other security agencies in the struggle to end the menace,” he said. Isa assured the public that necessary measures have been put in place to checkmate the purported evil plans of the criminals by the Headquarters Theatre Command, Operation Lafiya Dole. “Accordingly, troops in the Theatre have been committed to ensure movements and activities of the marauders are effectively thwarted. “Troops are also in staging positions in line with the Super Camp Concept to destroy the bandits whenever they are seen. “The public are advised to be more vigilant and report suspicious movement especially at important public places like markets, schools, mosques and churches as well as venues for occasions to security agencies.” Read the full article

[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/world/nigerian-elections-has-boko-haram-been-defeated/

Nigerian elections: Has Boko Haram been defeated?

The Islamist militant group Boko Haram has been active in north-eastern Nigeria for well over a decade.

President Buhari says its activities have been largely brought under control since he assumed office in 2015.

His political opponents disagree and say the situation has recently deteriorated both in terms of the number of attacks and kidnappings by the group.

Ahead of Nigeria’s elections on 16 February, BBC Reality Check examines the competing claims over the security situation in the country.

What is Boko Haram?

Formed around 2002 as a non-violent organisation with the aim of purifying Islam in northern Nigeria, it became increasingly radicalised and eventually adopted militant tactics in pursuit of its aims.

It has been active not only in Nigeria, but also in the neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed and more than two million displaced over the past decade.

Boko Haram has been notorious for kidnapping schoolchildren and attracted global media attention in 2014 following the abduction of almost 300 girls from a school in the town of Chibok, in Borno, the state where the militant group has been most active.

In 2015, Boko Haram was ranked the world’s deadliest terror group by the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Since then, territory controlled by the group has declined and it has splintered into competing factions.

However, the Islamist militants remain active in the region, defying attempts by the army to bring the insurgency to an end.

To underline this continued activity, in 2018 more than 100 schoolgirls were kidnapped from the northern town of Dapchi. Most of the girls were eventually released.

The competing claims

The former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is supporting main opposition candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has strongly criticised President Muhammadu Buhari’s record on tackling Boko Haram.

“The security situation has deteriorated, with kidnapping everywhere,” said Mr Obasanjo in January.

But President Buhari’s view of the security situation is very different. He says the militants have been “decimated” since 2015 in their stronghold of Borno State.

So what are the available facts regarding both attacks on civilians and on kidnappings?

Image copyright Getty Images

Image caption More than two million people have been internally displaced by Boko Haram, according to the UNHCR

Have attacks by Boko Haram declined?

Insecurity and poor communications in rural areas make assessment both for the government and independent organisations particularly difficult and many incidents go unreported.

The Nigerian government’s National Bureau of Statistics provides public access to economic, social and general security data gathered within Nigeria but a spokesman told BBC News it did not collect data on the activities of Boko Haram.

However, research by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) tracks information by monitoring local media and other reports.

From a peak in 2015 of more than 5,000, the number of deaths attributed to Boko Haram has fallen off significantly to below 1,000 a year for the past three years.

This decline followed a military campaign launched against Boko Haram in 2015 by the Nigerian government, with international support.

Large areas of territory previously controlled by Boko Haram were recaptured during this offensive.

So, President Buhari is right to say killings by militants have declined substantially since he came to office in 2015.

But these attacks have not ended completely and there have been several in the early weeks of 2019.

“In terms of the current situation, I do think the current trend line is quite dangerous and that they are far from defeated,” says Alex Thurston, a visiting assistant professor of political science and comparative religion at Miami University of Ohio.

What about kidnappings?

The Nigeria Security Tracker, used by the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR), in Washington, monitors kidnappings through local media reports.

These indicate a peak in the number of kidnappings in 2014 and 2015, when Boko Haram was at its strongest militarily.

However, despite a dramatic fall in reported kidnappings in 2016, the level has risen since then, with 310 reported last year.

One theory put forward for this increase is that as Boko Haram has lost territory and military influence, its tactics have shifted away from direct confrontation with security forces.

Instead, the militants have turned their attention to soft targets such as schools and rural villages, taking hostages from these locations.

So, when Mr Obasanjo says “the security situation has deteriorated with kidnapping everywhere”, he’s right in the sense that the level of kidnapping is on the increase and that major incidents such as the kidnapping of more than 100 schoolgirls in Dapchi, in 2018, do give serious cause for concern.

This fear is particularly heightened given Boko Haram’s use of children as suicide bombers. In 2017 and 2018, there were 77 and 26 incidences respectively of children being used in this way by the militants. In 2016 this figure was nine, according to Unicef.

Are kidnappings ‘everywhere’?

Looking at the distribution of all kidnappings across Nigeria, this is clearly not the case, with Boko Haram operating largely in the far north-east of the country.

Kidnappings have also been regularly reported in the country’s oil-rich southern Niger Delta region – but these are unrelated to the activities of Boko Haram.

So, looking at the overall picture of kidnappings, not just by Boko Haram, you can see that the distribution is more geographically widespread – but it’s certainly not the case as Mr Obasanjo says that kidnappings have been taking place “everywhere” across the country.

Overall, the picture of Boko Haram activity in the north-east of Nigeria appears to be one of declining military activity.

But along with this has come a recent rise in kidnappings although it’s not clear whether this indicates a resurgence in the strength of the group or a re-focusing on softer targets.

Read more from Reality Check

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Don’t Ignore The Importance Of Media Operations In Overall Success Of Military Campaign — Army Commandant Charges Graduands

Don’t Ignore The Importance Of Media Operations In Overall Success Of Military Campaign — Army Commandant Charges Graduands The Acting Commandant Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information (NASPRI), Lieutenant Colonel Adamu Ngulde has charge graduands of the Second Quarter Courses 2024 of the school not to ignore the importance of Media Operations in Military Campaign as they…

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Army chief rejigs Generals, names principal staff officers, field commanders

Army chief rejigs Generals, names principal staff officers, field commanders

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Major General Faruk Yahaya has appointed of Principal Staff Officers (PSOs), Field Commanders and other key staff. Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, Director of Army Public Relations made the announcement on Saturday. The Commandant Nigerian Army Armoured School, Maj Gen BO Sawyer is the new Director Defence Information, while the Chief of Operations Army, Maj Gen…

[torixus]

Boko Haram: redouble Your effort Buratai Orders Troops

Since 2011 Boko-Haram has become the highest challenge Nigerian As a nation is facing as the country has suffered alot of insurgency since 2011 Bombing many markets, schools and places of worship, killing thousands of people.

The Nigerian government under the leadership of President Buhari has kin to the Way to fight and defend the lives and property of the Nigerian people. At that note the chief of the Army staff has charged Nigerian Army fighting Boko-Haram to double they effort. Read belowe the press release by the Nigerian Army:

"Take The War To Their Enclaves And Flush Out The Remnants Of The Boko Haram Terrorists"....COAS Charge Troops Of Operation Lafiya Dole.  In line with the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai's directive to troops of Operation Lafiya Dole to take the war to their enclaves and flush out the remnants of the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs), the Acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division Nigerian Army and Commander Sector 1 Operation Lafiya Dole Brigadier General Abdulmalik Bulama Biu charged troops under command to redouble their effort with renewed vigour, gallantry and doggedness in the fight against insurgency and terrorism in the Theatre.

Towards achieving this, the Commander 28 Task Force Brigade Sector 1 Operation Lafiya Dole, Brigadier General Mohammed Usman charged troops of 117 Task Force Battalion (Bn) to be proactive and committed in the fight against insurgency while commissioning the Bn's Quick Response Group (QRG) Special Motor Cycle  Section recently in Chibok. General Usman stated that the motor bikes will certainly boost the fighting capacity and morale of the troops in the fight against Boko Harram Terrorists and Insurgency within the theatre of Operation Lafiya Dole especially around the Chibok general area. He emphasized that with the creation of the Special Motor Cycle Section it will enable the troops to chase the terrorist completely out of their enclaves. He further urged the troops to intensify the conduct of clearance and confidence building patrol within their Area of Responsibility which include Mbalala, Peyeso, Gatamarwa, Gogomdi, Shawa and Kwada amongst others in order to deny the insurgents freedom of movements and operations.

Receiving the Motor Bikes on behalf of the Bn, the Commanding Officer (CO), Lieutenant Colonel Abdulrahaman Bello commended the effort of the Nigerian Army (NA) especially the Chief of Army Staff(COAS) for approving the creation of the outfit which has no doubt boosted the fighting spirit of his troops. Colonel Bello assured the Leadership of the NA of his Bn's readiness and commitment in the fight against insurgency and promised that the Motor Bikes will be deployed as appropriate to chase the terrorists out of their enclaves and neutralised them as well.  Highlight of the ceremony include commissioning of the Special Motor Cycle Section and Demonstrations by troops of 117 Task Force Battalion to the admiration of the Brigade Commander and his staff Officers. Present at the occasion were the Chief of Staff and other Principal Staff Officers of the Brigade. You are please requested to disseminate this information to the general public through your news media. Thank you for your usual cooperation. ADO  ISA  Colonel Deputy Director Public Relations 7 DIVISION NIGERIAN ARMY via Blogger http://bit.ly/2LRs0Ua

[thisdaynews]

‘There is no Fear Again We’ve completely defeated Boko Haram In North East’ — Buratai

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/there-is-no-fear-again-weve-completely-defeated-boko-haram-in-north-east-buratai/

‘There is no Fear Again We’ve completely defeated Boko Haram In North East’ — Buratai

Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has said that the Boko Haram terrorist group has been defeated by the Nigerian military vowing that ‘Boko Haram will never come again as Boko Haram’.

He explained that what is currently playing out in the North East is the metamorphosis of ISWAP, Islamic State of West Africa Province, which is an attempt by a group of international criminal organizations to explore the loopholes created by the breakdown of law and order in some neighbouring countries to perpetrate criminality in the West African sub-region.

The Army Chief who spoke when children of several schools in Abuja visited him to learn more about book, ‘The Legend of Buratai’, written in his honour and presented to the public on May 17, however declared that just as Boko Haram was pursued out of the North East, the current band of international criminals gangs operating under the guise of ISWAP will also be chased and hunted down.

Commenting on how he copes with the pressure of office, the COAS said, “When I was appointed the Chief of Army Staff, I had the feeling that I will be the least controversial COAS. I had the feeling I will have an excellent relationship with the media. This first thing I did was to call the then Director of Army Public Relations and I told him that henceforth, all our actions and activities must be reported and made known to the media.

“They had a right to know. It is the Nigerian Army. There should be no gaps about information in our operations in the North East or elsewhere. Before then, we used to have so many reporters in the north east including informants for the terrorists who plant stories and breaking news some of which went contrary to happenings, with a ploy to make troops unstable or demoralized.

“So we started reporting events and occurrence about the battle, attacks in the northeast. We were breaking the news ourselves but this time, the real actions on the ground, not fabrications.

“We also commenced interaction with stakeholders for them to see and know the true happenings, which later opened their eyes to appreciate what we were going through and the heroic efforts of troops. We interacted with the NBA, Human Rights Groups, the Media, & others and they now understood our job better.

[kenzymirror]

Buratai cautions media against fake news

Buratai cautions media against fake news

Philip Nwosu The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, has cautioned the media against the use of unverified reports, commonly called fake news, saying efforts must be made to stimulate positive narratives that would lead to national unity. Buratai spoke at a media workshop organised by the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information (NASPRI) for commanding…

[theleadernews]

Buratai cautions media against fake news

NAN The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has cautioned the media against fake news, sayingefforts must be made to discredit fake news and stimulate positive narratives that would lead to national unity. Buratai said this on Monday at a media workshop organised by the Nigerian Army School of Public Relations and Information […]

The post Buratai cautions media against fake news appeared first on The Leader News Online.

from WordPress https://theleaderassumpta.com/2018/12/10/buratai-cautions-media-against-fake-news/

[dani-qrt]

Islamic State ally stakes out territory around Lake Chad

ABUJA/MAIDUGURI (Reuters) – From the shores of Lake Chad, Islamic State’s West African ally is on a mission: winning over the local people.

FILE PHOTO: Men on camels cross the water as a woman washes clothes in Lake Chad in Ngouboua, January 19, 2015. REUTERS/Emmanuel Braun/File Photo

Digging wells, giving out seeds and fertilizer and providing safe pasture for herders are among the inducements offered by Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), which split from Nigeria’s Boko Haram in 2016.

“If you are a herder, driver or trader, they won’t touch you – just follow their rules and regulations governing the territory,” said a herder, who moves cattle in and out of ISWA territory and whose identity Reuters is withholding for his safety. “They don’t touch civilians, just security personnel.”

The campaign, which has created an economy for ISWA to tax, is part of the armed insurgent group’s push to control territory in northeastern Nigeria and in Niger.

ISWA stretches farther and is more entrenched than officials have acknowledged, according to witnesses, people familiar with the insurgency, researchers and Western diplomats who have for the first time provided details of the group’s growing efforts to establish a form of administration in the Lake Chad area.

A map produced by the U.S. development agency in February and seen by Reuters shows how ISWA territory extends more than 100 miles into the northeastern Nigerian states of Borno and Yobe, where government has in many areas all but vanished after a decade of conflict.

The Islamists have not been defeated, as Nigeria says, and researchers say ISWA, less extreme than Boko Haram, has evolved into the dominant group. The U.S. map paints a similar picture, with ISWA operating in much of Borno.

“Islamic State has a terrible reputation for being so brutal around the world, and people can’t imagine an Islamic State faction could be more moderate (than Boko Haram),” said Jacob Zenn, of The Jamestown Foundation in Washington D.C.

The Lake Chad countries – Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon – have long neglected the region, allowing ISWA to create a stronghold from which to launch attacks. Its gains contrast with setbacks for Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

It makes sense for ISWA to organize the local economy and raise taxes, said Vincent Foucher, who studies Boko Haram at the French National Centre for Science Research.

“It opens the longer game of trying to create a connection to people,” he said, adding that if ISWA succeeds it may become a greater threat than Boko Haram.

In 2015, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari pledged to finish off Boko Haram. Officials maintain this has been achieved, although the conflict continues into its tenth year. A presidency spokesman declined to comment for this story.

“THEY ARE NOT A GOVERNMENT”

Analysts estimate that ISWA has 3,000-5,000 fighters, about double Boko Haram’s strength. But ISWA’s territory is not completely secure. The Nigerian air force often bombs, and troops from Lake Chad countries attack the insurgents’ domain around its shores and islands.

Nigeria’s armed forces “just see them as Boko Haram,” said Brigadier General John Agim, spokesman for the Nigerian military, at a briefing. “We are not interested in the faction, what has that got to do with it?”

“They are not a government, they kidnap girls from schools,” Agim told Reuters in a separate interview.

The military has announced an operation “to totally destroy Boko Haram locations in the Lake Chad Basin” – ISWA’s domain – and end the insurgency within four months.

But ISWA has so far proven intractable in its Lake Chad bases, where troops have been unable to make effective inroads, according to a Western diplomat who follows the group. The Nigerian military had “completely lost the initiative against the insurgency,” they said.

The diplomat said ISWA was ready to cede less important areas because the military cannot hold them. “However, they maintain absolute control over the islands and immediate areas near them where they train, live, etc.”

The U.S., British and French militaries are helping regional governments with intelligence and training. Western officials declined, or did not respond to, requests for comment.

ISWA protects locals from Boko Haram, something Nigeria’s army cannot always do. That, according to one of the people with knowledge of the insurgency, has won the group local backing and eroded support for the military.

ISWA is led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram’s founder, Muhammed Yusuf, whose killing by police in 2009 sparked an Islamist insurgency in Nigeria that, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, has so far cost more than 34,000 lives.

ISWA’s leaders are low-profile, not appearing in videos or claiming responsibility for attacks, possibly to avoid the international media, and the ire of regional governments. Reuters was unable to contact the group for comment.

This contrasts with the wholesale violence of Boko Haram under the publicity-hungry Abubakar Shekau, who has executed even close lieutenants. His group has strapped suicide bombs to women and children to attack civilians in mosques, markets and refugee camps.

SPIES EVERYWHERE

Boko Haram and ISWA are bloody rivals, but some travelers in ISWA territory feel safer than elsewhere in Nigeria’s northeast.

“They have checkpoints for stop and search, and if you are a regular visitor they know you,” said a second herder, adding that ISWA has spies everywhere, including informers who alert them to military attacks.

He described seeing Islamic State’s black flags and said preachers were used to win people over.

Under ISWA, men must wear long beards, night-time movements are restricted, and prayers are compulsory, the herder said. Offenders can get 40 lashes.

The herders said ISWA provides safe grazing for about 2,500 naira ($8) a cow and 1,500 naira ($5) for smaller animals. ISWA also runs slaughterhouses for the cattle, taking a cut for each animal, as well as from other activities like gathering firewood.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Maiduguri is the biggest city in Nigeria’s northeast, the center of the military’s fight against Boko Haram.

But rural areas largely remain no-go zones for the authorities. It is there that ISWA is making its mark, offering people protection, particularly from Boko Haram.

“Al-Barnawi is sending people into IDP (displaced persons) camps to encourage people to return and farm, and the people are,” said a person with knowledge of ISWA’s activities.

The person said Nigeria’s military plays into the insurgents’ hands by shutting down markets to deny supplies to the group, while ISWA encourages business.

“They are friendly and nice to those who come to the area, while they indoctrinate other people and sometimes they bring motorcycles for those who want to join them,” a charcoal maker said.

DISTANT RELATIONS

Despite its name, experts believe ISWA’s ties to Islamic State in the Middle East are limited.

“What’s clear from ISWA primary source documents is that ISWA has asked IS for theological guidance on who it is lawful to attack,” said Zenn. Daily activities, including military operations, are left to its own leaders, he said.

Others say the insurgency lacks the broader appeal of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

“ISWA is the largest IS affiliate, but it’s very much a Nigerian organization. It doesn’t have foreign fighters coming, it’s hard to get to this place,” said the Western diplomat.

What fighters it does have can carry out targeted attacks, including the February kidnapping of 100 schoolgirls from the town of Dapchi, most later released without explanation, and a deadly raid on a Nigerian military base in March.

But ISWA faces a dilemma: while wooing the population, it has harshly punished those who resist it, for example massacring dozens of fishermen last August, and this could hurt its standing with local people.

“It’s important not to paint too rosy a picture,” said Foucher, the researcher.

Reporting by Paul Carsten in Abuja and Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri; Additional reporting by Ola Lanre in Maiduguri; Editing by Giles Elgood

The post Islamic State ally stakes out territory around Lake Chad appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2vUSeRb via Online News

[dragnews]

Islamic State ally stakes out territory around Lake Chad

ABUJA/MAIDUGURI (Reuters) – From the shores of Lake Chad, Islamic State’s West African ally is on a mission: winning over the local people.

FILE PHOTO: Men on camels cross the water as a woman washes clothes in Lake Chad in Ngouboua, January 19, 2015. REUTERS/Emmanuel Braun/File Photo

Digging wells, giving out seeds and fertilizer and providing safe pasture for herders are among the inducements offered by Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA), which split from Nigeria’s Boko Haram in 2016.

“If you are a herder, driver or trader, they won’t touch you – just follow their rules and regulations governing the territory,” said a herder, who moves cattle in and out of ISWA territory and whose identity Reuters is withholding for his safety. “They don’t touch civilians, just security personnel.”

The campaign, which has created an economy for ISWA to tax, is part of the armed insurgent group’s push to control territory in northeastern Nigeria and in Niger.

ISWA stretches farther and is more entrenched than officials have acknowledged, according to witnesses, people familiar with the insurgency, researchers and Western diplomats who have for the first time provided details of the group’s growing efforts to establish a form of administration in the Lake Chad area.

A map produced by the U.S. development agency in February and seen by Reuters shows how ISWA territory extends more than 100 miles into the northeastern Nigerian states of Borno and Yobe, where government has in many areas all but vanished after a decade of conflict.

The Islamists have not been defeated, as Nigeria says, and researchers say ISWA, less extreme than Boko Haram, has evolved into the dominant group. The U.S. map paints a similar picture, with ISWA operating in much of Borno.

“Islamic State has a terrible reputation for being so brutal around the world, and people can’t imagine an Islamic State faction could be more moderate (than Boko Haram),” said Jacob Zenn, of The Jamestown Foundation in Washington D.C.

The Lake Chad countries – Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon – have long neglected the region, allowing ISWA to create a stronghold from which to launch attacks. Its gains contrast with setbacks for Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

It makes sense for ISWA to organize the local economy and raise taxes, said Vincent Foucher, who studies Boko Haram at the French National Centre for Science Research.

“It opens the longer game of trying to create a connection to people,” he said, adding that if ISWA succeeds it may become a greater threat than Boko Haram.

In 2015, Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari pledged to finish off Boko Haram. Officials maintain this has been achieved, although the conflict continues into its tenth year. A presidency spokesman declined to comment for this story.

“THEY ARE NOT A GOVERNMENT”

Analysts estimate that ISWA has 3,000-5,000 fighters, about double Boko Haram’s strength. But ISWA’s territory is not completely secure. The Nigerian air force often bombs, and troops from Lake Chad countries attack the insurgents’ domain around its shores and islands.

Nigeria’s armed forces “just see them as Boko Haram,” said Brigadier General John Agim, spokesman for the Nigerian military, at a briefing. “We are not interested in the faction, what has that got to do with it?”

“They are not a government, they kidnap girls from schools,” Agim told Reuters in a separate interview.

The military has announced an operation “to totally destroy Boko Haram locations in the Lake Chad Basin” – ISWA’s domain – and end the insurgency within four months.

But ISWA has so far proven intractable in its Lake Chad bases, where troops have been unable to make effective inroads, according to a Western diplomat who follows the group. The Nigerian military had “completely lost the initiative against the insurgency,” they said.

The diplomat said ISWA was ready to cede less important areas because the military cannot hold them. “However, they maintain absolute control over the islands and immediate areas near them where they train, live, etc.”

The U.S., British and French militaries are helping regional governments with intelligence and training. Western officials declined, or did not respond to, requests for comment.

ISWA protects locals from Boko Haram, something Nigeria’s army cannot always do. That, according to one of the people with knowledge of the insurgency, has won the group local backing and eroded support for the military.

ISWA is led by Abu Musab al-Barnawi, the son of Boko Haram’s founder, Muhammed Yusuf, whose killing by police in 2009 sparked an Islamist insurgency in Nigeria that, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project, has so far cost more than 34,000 lives.

ISWA’s leaders are low-profile, not appearing in videos or claiming responsibility for attacks, possibly to avoid the international media, and the ire of regional governments. Reuters was unable to contact the group for comment.

This contrasts with the wholesale violence of Boko Haram under the publicity-hungry Abubakar Shekau, who has executed even close lieutenants. His group has strapped suicide bombs to women and children to attack civilians in mosques, markets and refugee camps.

SPIES EVERYWHERE

Boko Haram and ISWA are bloody rivals, but some travelers in ISWA territory feel safer than elsewhere in Nigeria’s northeast.

“They have checkpoints for stop and search, and if you are a regular visitor they know you,” said a second herder, adding that ISWA has spies everywhere, including informers who alert them to military attacks.

He described seeing Islamic State’s black flags and said preachers were used to win people over.

Under ISWA, men must wear long beards, night-time movements are restricted, and prayers are compulsory, the herder said. Offenders can get 40 lashes.

The herders said ISWA provides safe grazing for about 2,500 naira ($8) a cow and 1,500 naira ($5) for smaller animals. ISWA also runs slaughterhouses for the cattle, taking a cut for each animal, as well as from other activities like gathering firewood.

SUPPLY AND DEMAND

Maiduguri is the biggest city in Nigeria’s northeast, the center of the military’s fight against Boko Haram.

But rural areas largely remain no-go zones for the authorities. It is there that ISWA is making its mark, offering people protection, particularly from Boko Haram.

“Al-Barnawi is sending people into IDP (displaced persons) camps to encourage people to return and farm, and the people are,” said a person with knowledge of ISWA’s activities.

The person said Nigeria’s military plays into the insurgents’ hands by shutting down markets to deny supplies to the group, while ISWA encourages business.

“They are friendly and nice to those who come to the area, while they indoctrinate other people and sometimes they bring motorcycles for those who want to join them,” a charcoal maker said.

DISTANT RELATIONS

Despite its name, experts believe ISWA’s ties to Islamic State in the Middle East are limited.

“What’s clear from ISWA primary source documents is that ISWA has asked IS for theological guidance on who it is lawful to attack,” said Zenn. Daily activities, including military operations, are left to its own leaders, he said.

Others say the insurgency lacks the broader appeal of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.

“ISWA is the largest IS affiliate, but it’s very much a Nigerian organization. It doesn’t have foreign fighters coming, it’s hard to get to this place,” said the Western diplomat.

What fighters it does have can carry out targeted attacks, including the February kidnapping of 100 schoolgirls from the town of Dapchi, most later released without explanation, and a deadly raid on a Nigerian military base in March.

But ISWA faces a dilemma: while wooing the population, it has harshly punished those who resist it, for example massacring dozens of fishermen last August, and this could hurt its standing with local people.

“It’s important not to paint too rosy a picture,” said Foucher, the researcher.

Reporting by Paul Carsten in Abuja and Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri; Additional reporting by Ola Lanre in Maiduguri; Editing by Giles Elgood

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