BORNO-(MaraviPost)-Months after President Muhammadu Buhari took charge of affairs of the nation in 2015, the Nigerian Army leads as well as the Commander in Chief, declared that Boko Haram, the terrorist group that has plagued the North East of the country since 2009, has been technically defeated.

However, observers on ground are of a different opinion, they stated that not only is Boko Haram still waxing strong in the region, reports claim that the terror group has even evolved an economic and tax system in some remote communities in the troubled region.

Prominent Peacemaker and Human Rights activist, Hamsatu Al’amin is one of those not in-sync with the Federal Government’s claims, to her, the success claimed by the Buhari administration is an alien concept to the long-suffering masses of the North East and Borno State in particular.

“Some people will just sit down in Abuja in their comfort zone and tell us that the war has been won, they are entitled to their own opinion, however, people like me who see what is happening every day, who hear from people that are directly affected, victory over Boko Haram is far from achieved,” Al’amin said.

Al’amin whose work in trying to negotiate peace between the Nigerian authorities and Boko Haram is well renowned further revealed that the group, though split into several factions, has more or less spread its net into every facet of society, she claimed that citizens living in remote communities in Borno State have devised means of living with the insurgent group.

The communities most vulnerable to Boko Haram attacks mostly have little or no government presence, therefore they submit themselves to the powers of the terror group, they pay taxes to the group, in turn, Boko Haram let them be.

“Two years ago, while on research I visited a remote community, in that area, there was no government presence, no police, no schools no soldiers nothing, but the people who are mainly women and young boys stated that they are comfortable with life there.

“Asked if the Boko Haram militants don’t disturb them, they said they do but when they come they ask for food or money and they will give the villagers time to organise what they asked for, after which the militants will come and take it,” Al’amin said.

“Also, they inform us that when their animals were stolen, they have to report it to the Boko Haram, the Boko Haram went after those who stole the animals, retrieved it and brought it back to them.

Then I asked what the villagers give them back in return, they said they pay them taxes,” She added.

The Buhari administration further claimed that the terror group currently don’t control a single inch of land in Nigeria, however, in what seems like a shocking revelation, Al’amin revealed that not only is a faction of the terror organisation holding a sizable portion of land around the Lake Chad region, economic activities are booming in an area she stated Boko Haram refers to as Daula, meaning Empire in Arabic.

“This faction moved from the Sambisa Forest to the Lake Chad region, they created their own community within the Lake Chad area, they occupy the area and called it Daula, Daula mean empire in Arabic.

“Also, women in the IDP camps actually moved willingly to the Daula to do business, they say as long as they pay taxes they can fish and smoke their fish, and sell it in Cameroon, Nigeria and other countries.

“They stated that in the Daula economic activities is going on, food is cheap and they are free to do what they have to to survive, this is much better than life in the IDP camp,” Al’amin revealed.

The renowned educator and award-winning Human Rights activist further stated that the government should look into the plight of those living in the IDP camps stressing that conditions in those places are not suitable for human habitation.

She called on the Federal Government to move fast and end the conflict in the region so that the long-suffering people of the North East can finally sleep with both eyes closed.

Source: dailyadvent.com