Muazu Aliyu Reveals How He Drove Out Boko Haram During His Administration

A former Niger State governor, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, has revealed details of his administration’s actions in driving out leaders of the feared Boko Haram insurgents during his initial term in office.

Aliyu emphasized that had he not taken action to pursue and expel Abubakar Shekau, the notorious leader of Boko Haram, along with his lieutenant Abu Qaka, Niger State might have become the breeding ground for the insurgent group.

The ex-governor spoke at the weekend at the 2023 Annual Public Lecture/Awards and Election of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Kaduna Branch, where he was guest speaker.

Upon assuming office as the governor of Niger State, he uncovered the insurgents’ camp and secured the assistance of the late President Umar Yar’Adua to disband them.

Aliyu said, “The primary purpose of government is the security of lives and property of the citizens, which some governors don’t take seriously. As chief security officer of your state, you cannot claim inability to secure your citizens. Yes, the officers of the security agencies might not have come from your state, they are federal officers posted to assist you in your state.

“Being proactive as a leader and follower also helps so much. When I arrived in Niger State, I found a security challenge. Nine people. who went to a village in the Mokwa Local Government Area, had multiplied in 2007 to 7,000 people, and were involved in armed robbery and abducting women in the area. They constituted themselves into a republic.

“I also discovered that many governors had tried to do something but were probably frustrated by Abuja. Two immigration officers sent to investigate the activities of the group became members.

“When I took a census, I discovered that more than 60 percent of the members were not Nigerians. The original Shekau and Abu Qaga were the leaders. I got the support of the late President Musa Yar’Adua to disperse them after compensating them and providing them fare to their destination in Nigeria and the foreigners were taken to their borders.

“That action probably saved Niger State from being the foundation for Boko Haram as we come to know; they were regularly visiting the River Niger bridge. That the Federal Government would support any governor who has done his homework is not in doubt.”

Speaking further, Aliyu emphasized that addressing the security challenges plaguing the country involves a significant aspect of proper planning and budgeting.

“Our planning must be people-centred and our budget must be treated as the law that it is.

“If the planning is proper, we cannot be talking of 20 million children out of school, we cannot be described as the poverty capital of the world, we also cannot be facing the insecurity of banditry, Boko Haram, and armed robbery. Without proper planning, we cannot have the level of corruption we have today.”

Earlier in his remark, Haroun Malami, the state Chairman of the NIPR, highlighted that the chosen theme of the lecture, ‘Demographic Transition, Ethical Resource, Sustainable Development: Reflections on Northern Nigeria,’ was selected due to the escalating youth unemployment, especially in the northern part of the country.

Kanyidaily recalls that Former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu had revealed hos some northerners made it impossible for former President Goodluck Jonathan to defeat Boko Haram.