Alarm as IS infiltrates more Nigerian states

LAGOS: Members of the Islamic State (IS) have been arrested in states in Nigeria including Edo, South South, Kogi in central Nigeria and Benue, another north-central state where more than 47 innocent citizens were killed by armed herdsmen on January 1 and 2.

According to a News Agency of Nigeria report, the information is contained in a security report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari.

It quoted the report as saying many members of IS in West Africa (Iswa) have infiltrated Nigeria, especially then North, Central and South South areas.

The report added a good number of the IS terrorists were arrested in the South South state of Edo, specifically in Akoko-Edo, Okpella and Benin as well as in Okene, Kogi state.

The agency further quoted the report as indicating that the Iswa network was using foreign terrorists and recruiting young Nigerian men to fight and kill civilians, ostensibly to exacerbate tensions along the county’s ethnic, religious and regional fault lines.

It also quoted a presidency source as stating that the uncovering of the Iswa involvement in the orgy of killings in some parts in recent times was made following the arrest of several suspected attackers including herdsmen, state government-sponsored militias, militants and other miscreants in Benue State.

The source, according to the agency, revealed that among those in custody were many who spoke none of the languages native to Nigeria but the French language.

This is the first time security officials have confirmed that IS in West Africa members are operating as a unit in Nigeria, and the level of their occupation of the country.

“It is understood that the cell, which has members in different parts of the country, concentrates on recruiting young men to fight for IS in West Africa by unleashing the cold-blooded murder of innocent citizens. “There was intelligence that they had planned several attacks here, before and during Christmas and the new year.

“Their bombing targets included fuel depots, foreign missions and police and military establishments.

“Their network is very wide. But so much was achieved by the Directorate of State Security which had made a significant number of arrests in the past two months that helped to pre-empt those attacks and saved Nigeria from the spate of major terrorist attacks witnessed elsewhere that were syndicated by IS worldwide,” the source was quoted as saying.