Boko Haram Not In Niger, Police Say

Reports by an online news portal that the Boko Haram sect had their base situated in Niger State has been dismissed by the state Police Command. Speaking with journalists in Minna on Sunday, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Richards Oguche, said the sect had no camp or hideout in the state.

“There is no camp of any sect in the state. We are aware of some of the activities of some bad boys and terrorists along the forest bordering Niger, Kaduna states which transverses Konto-Gwari, Katsina axis and Zamfara. We have been under studying Rafi Local Government Area for sometime now based on intelligence gathering.

“The command in conjunction with the military raided the forest popularly known as Maigungunmi which is between Rafi Local Government Area and Birnin-Gwari in Kaduna State. After raiding the forest, we recovered AK47 with three magazines fully loaded, although the suspects escaped, since then we have been on their trail. We have not been able to arrest them; I am sure they have fled back to other hideouts.

“We, the police, did not relent because we know that they are only operating within the Niger State borders, they also operate in Zamfara State, along Katsina State down towards Kaduna State severally. Even the case we had in Shiroro Local Government Area some months ago was attributed to these same people.

“We are planning a general operation across the states that the forest cuts across their borders to carry out a general raid.

“To say that we have Boko Haram in Rafi Local Government Area in Niger State, is not true. If they are talking of religious extremists, we will understand and we are doing everything possible to understudy them,” Oguche said.

“Although, the name of the extremist group has not been established, we had raided their hideout three months ago with the military, the State Security Service (SSS) and other security agencies in the state. There is nothing like Boko Haram in Niger State. This state is very peaceful and the police is on top of the security situation, we are working around the clock to see that everybody sleep with their two eyes closed.

“The Commissioner of Police, Mrs Desire Nserim, had a stakeholders meeting with communities in the state where she had a long discussion with them after which some bad boys surrendered their arms.”

He therefore called on other persons in the State who might have arms or deadly weapons to come out and surrender.