FORMER defence minister Lt General Theophilus Danjuma has revealed that Boko Haram has superior intelligence gathering capabilities to the Nigerian Army which is why the sect has been able to successfully prosecute its war of terror.
Boko Haram has been waging a war against the Nigerian state since 2009 and at one stage last year controlled 14 local governments in the northeast of the country. Part of Boko Haram's success was down to the fact that it had intelligence on Nigerian Army troop movement and had successfully infiltrated the military.
A one-time chief of army staff and later defence minister in the government of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, Lt General Danjuma said Boko Haram's intelligence gathering capability is 100% better than that of the nation’s security agencies. Speaking in Sokoto at the opening of the new secretariat for the Catholic Diocese built by Bishop Matthew Kukah, General Danjuma stressed that the fight against Boko Haram was entering its most critical stage and Nigerians must brace up to weather the new challenge.
He explained that following Nigeria’s successes in the territorial war, the insurgents have now devised a strategy of disappearing into the wider civilian population and setting up sleeping cells who wreak havoc on softer targets. According to General Danjuma, this new strategy has not only bolstered the intelligence capability of the terrorists but has made them have superior surveillance techniques than Nigeria’s security agencies.
General Danjuma added: “When Boko Haram openly denounced all religions, Muhammadu Buhari called them terrorists and urged all Muslims to consider them as such. Later, some who chose to remain on the fence realised the threat posed to all and reluctantly joined in condemning Boko Haram.
“Having sleeping cells among the generality of the population has made them have intelligence capability that is 100% better than that of our security agencies. Nigerians must not let the activities of Boko Haram sow the seed of doubt and mistrust among themselves as allowing such will be detrimental to the peaceful coexistence of various religious and ethnic groups in the country."
Currently the chairman of the Boko Haram Victims’ Support Fund, General Danjuma is responsible for resettling refugees returning to their homes. Of late, Boko Haram has been very successful at planting bombs in crowded areas like mosques, using suicide bombers.
Also speaking at the event, Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, said the unity of Nigeria has been threatened by the emergence of Boko Haram, which he said has deepened anxieties across the country. Similarly, the host, Bishop of Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah and the Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, said religious harmony was the only panacea to a peaceful country.
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