ISWA terrorists in Benue?

The Department of State Service (DSS) said last week that the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) network operating within North Central and South South zones of Nigeria was behind the recent killings in Benue State. In a report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari, DSS said this discovery was sequel to the arrest of several […]

The Department of State Service (DSS) said last week that the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA) network operating within North Central and South South zones of Nigeria was behind the recent killings in Benue State. In a report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari, DSS said this discovery was sequel to the arrest of several suspected attackers comprising Fulani herdsmen, government-sponsored militias, militants and other miscreants in the state. 

According to the report, ISWA is using foreign terrorists and recruiting young men to fight and kill innocent persons in order to exacerbate tensions along the country’s ethnic, religious and regional fault lines. A presidency source who disclosed this to State House reporters said those in custody include many who spoke none of the languages native to Nigeria, but only French. The source said all the reports submitted to President Buhari indicated that “security officials now fear an influx of other ISIS members into many parts of the country”. The source further added that this is the first time security officials have come out to confirm that members of ISWA are operating as a unit in Nigeria, including an account of their level of penetration.

The source said the arrested ISWA members were not only in Benue valley “but significantly in several towns of Edo state, specifically in Akoko-Edo, Okpella and Benin as well as Okene in Kogi State.” Other details disclosed include an intelligence report which claimed the terrorists had planned several attacks before and during Christmas as well as on New Year’s Day. Their bombing targets were said to include fuel depots, foreign missions, police and military establishments. The network of Islamic State terrorists is reportedly wide. However, the significant member of arrests in the past two months helped DSS operatives to avert those attacks. The source said “we are learning more and more about this complex and sophisticated network. This is the main reason why the secret service is not parading those suspects so far arrested.” Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Malam Garba Shehu confirmed that President Buhari had been receiving reports on the situation in Benue and other states. 

It would be recalled that Nigerians woke up on New Year’s Day to the sad news that over 50 persons had been killed in Logo and Guma LGAs of Benue State. The attack which left many people injured was said to have been perpetrated by herdsmen. Similar attacks were also launched at Agba-Uko and Tse-Aga villages. Days after the New Year’s Day attack, another 15 people were reportedly killed in TseAkombo, TseVii and TseAgule communities of Benue State.

To be frank, many Nigerians received DSS’ claims which link the recent killings in Benue State to Islamic State terrorists with a pinch of salt. Many reasons make us skeptical of this story. It was DSS which in the past said it could not establish a link between ISIS and Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria. This report that ISIS is now recruiting militants for terrorist activities in the country means DSS has completely changed its story. The incidents in Benue State are widely believed to be a conflict that basically revolves around farming and grazing lands, which does not fit into the ISIS terrorist group’s world-wide ideological agenda. ISIS’ ideological stance is basically anti-Western, which it feels has oppressed Muslim nations and people. Except for North Africa, ISIS’ interest in Africa and Nigeria remain marginal and obscure and we cannot see its interest in the Benue type of events.  

If DSS’ claims are to be given the benefit of doubt, Nigerians expect it to, like the army, parade the suspected ISIS members in its custody. The army promptly paraded a group of heavily armed militia reportedly sponsored by Benue State government soon after their arrest on the Benue and Nasarawa states’ border. DSS should parade the captured men and charge them to court. There is no need to internationalize a local problem.