The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major- General Babagana Monguno (rtd), said Jama’at Nasr al-Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM), the Islamic and Muslim Support Group (GSIM), and ISGS are the groups behind terrorism in the country.
According to him, the groups mainly operate in Mali, Niger Republic and Burkina Faso
Monguno stated this at the ongoing 14th workshop of the League of Ulamas, Preachers, and Imams of Sahel countries in Abuja.
He said the rapid escalation of terrorism and violent activities by the militant Islamist groups since 2016 have been primarily driven by the Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS).
” In Nigeria, Boko-Haram and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) dominate terrorist activities, especially in the North-Eastern part of the country.
“The situation in the Sahel has never been grimmer, extremist violence continues to spread; the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) is growing, and food insecurity is affecting more people than ever before,” he said.
The NSA urged Islamic preachers and Imams to rise up to the challenge, by deploying their vantage positions to checkmate terrorism and support for ongoing counter-terrorism operations.
He also called for strong alliances between the clerics and security force.
Monguno disclosed that attempts by Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) to create an established caliphate to rival Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) countries were checkmated by series of concerted and reinvigorated efforts of the countries of the region.
He then stressed the need to reassess and reset the strategy towards the Sahel, setting aside faulty assumption.
“Particularly, the international community and its Sahelian partners should prioritize governance, press for or pursue an expanded peace process, cautiously through dialogue, and push for the adoption of more non-kinetic measures through affected communities.
“The adoption of both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches by LCBC countries to stem the conflict has yielded tremendous success,” he suggested.
The National Security Adviser said the adoption of propaganda videos by the terrorist groups a mere attempt to garner support from sympathisers, adding that they have been struggling to maintain relevance.
“There’s no gun more powerful than enlightenment and education at the grass-root level, ” he said. (vitalnews)
