A community leader in Birni Gwari Local Government of Kaduna State, Zubair Abdulrra’uf, has lamented that the Ansaru terrorist group has taken over many communities in two local government areas of the state.
While speaking on the Channels Tv programme, Sunrise Daily, on Monday morning, Abdulrra’uf said most communities of Birni Gwari and Giwa local government areas are fully under the control of the terrorist group patrolling in military fatigue.
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Abdulrra’uf, who said the communities lacked the presence of government security apparatus, said the locals had accepted Ansaru as their saviour.
He said, “Many parts of Birni Gwari and some parts of Giwa local government, notably, in six wards of Giwa local government, notably Kidandan, Galadimawa, Kadage, Yakawada and to some extent Pan Hauya. These are the places you will find this Ansaru.
“Also, you will find the bandits on the other side who are in the forest, UAC forest.”
He said the terrorist group is providing security for the people against the bandits who have been attacking them constantly.
“This Ansaru’s presence, as I am telling you, is very very prominent. Anybody who follows that route will feel secure but the locals there are being indoctrinated with this kind of ideology of this group.
“So, that is what is happening in the whole of the eastern part of Birnin Gwari to Giwa local government area and the people there feel more secure to be with Ansaru than the bandits.
“It’s a very dangerous situation but they [people] don’t have a choice because these bandits overrun communities always but with the coming of Ansaru, the people were given protection.
“They are recruiting the locals into their own ideology and being taught certain doctrines which are away from the normal Islamic doctrines.
“So, in the long term, these people will come out with their real motives and these people that are being cajoled into joining the Ansaru group will now take charge and will even go against their own communities. This will be the long term implication.”
The community leader expressed dismay that the government lacked the political will to deal with insecurity, stressing that the locals were being left with no other option but to accept the terrorists as they don’t have the capacity to defend themselves.
He called on the security operatives to act now before it became too late, adding that the terrorist group was recruiting massively in the communities.
He said to address the security situation in the area, there must be a political will by the government to create a synergy between the security personnel and the communities.
He also said the government should move in swiftly to deradicalise the community.
“We need to adopt a new strategy to involve the locals, address complicity among the locals especially the issue of informants,” he said.
The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs in Kaduna State, Samuel Aruwan had last week while giving a security brief said the state government has confirmed the presence of members of Ansaru terrorist group in parts of Giwa LGA.
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