Boko Haram Infiltration Of JTF Raises Concern

Strong indications emerged on Friday that
members of the dreaded Boko Haram
Islamic Sect might have infiltrated the
ranks of the Borno Youth Vigilante
popularly referred to as Civilian JTF.

Members of the youth group are aiding the
efforts of the military in the ongoing campaign
against the insurgent, especially in Borno
State.
Investigations revealed that the military was
worried about the development and had
commenced discrete investigations into the
activities of the youth group.
It was gathered that the intelligence arm of
the military had traced some of the incidents
leading to the death of some of the members
of the group to the release of information
from the members of the group loyal to the
sect.
But the Director of Defence Information, Brig.
Gen. Chris Olukolade, said on Friday that there
had been no concrete report on the claimed
infiltration of the vigilance group by the Boko
Haram.
Olukolade stated however that the military was
careful and was not leaving anything to chance
in their relationship with the group and its
activities.
He said, "On this issue of the alleged
infiltration of the youth group by the Boko
Haram, I can tell you that there is no concrete
report or evidence that Boko Haram members
are among them.
"However, the military is careful and we are
not leaving anything to chance concerning the
activities of the group."
Investigations however revealed that the
military decided to investigate the activities of
the members of the sect following the
recurrent killings of members of the sect, by
Boko Haram elements on various occasions in
ambush.
It was learnt that the military investigation
revealed that there was a high possibility that
the members of the youth group loyal to Boko
Haram were releasing information to the sect
on the movement and activities of the group.
The panel was said to have been set up
following the killing of 24 members of the
group at a Boko Haram ambush at Monguno
town on August 31, 2013.
The survivors of the attack said that out of the
100 who left for the operation to capture
some of the insurgents in their camps at
Kaleri, Shuwari, Maganari and Nannari villages
in Mongonu, 36 were missing apart from the
24 confirmed dead.
It was learnt that the military had kept the
group whose activities had led to the arrest of
many of the insurgents under close watch.
Investigation further revealed that the Joint
Task Force in Yobe State delayed acting on an
application by Yobe youths to form a similar
body in the state because of the developments
around the civilian JTF in Borno.
It was learnt that the leadership of the
military in the state who preferred to deal
with neighbourhoods watch had requested for
time to think about the applications before
granting any approval where necessary.