By Gbenga Akingbule
Nigeria Military on Tuesday said it has intercepted some local financiers of Boko Haram terrorists and announced that diplomatic measures are being employed by the Federal Government and other countries to halt foreign financial inflow to the terrorists.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Military also revealed that locals ferrying food and petroleum supplies to the terrorists have been arrested, warning residents to desist from such unpatriotic acts or be ready to face the wrath of the military.
Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force North East ‘Operation Hadin Kai’, Major General Christopher Musa made the disclosure during a press conference at the Theatre Headquarters in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital.
According to Gen. Musa, the Joint Taskforce is keen on blocking all illicit financial and logistics supplies to the Boko Haram terrorists, noting that such a move is aimed at bringing the 13-year-old war to an end.
“They ( Boko Haram Terrorists) have sources of funding from outside of the country and also from inside. Those (Boko Haram) from inside, we have been taking care of them and jointly with the Multinational Joint Task Force, we are also taking care of that outside.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria is also working diplomatically with other countries to deny Boko Haram financiers access into the country. ” General Musa said.
The Theatre Commander noted logistics supplies by unscrupulous elements had unfortunately prolonged the Boko Haram war but assured that the Joint Task Force is already clamping down on perpetrators and that there will be no hiding place for them.
Gen. Musa wondered why some residents will buy fuel from filling stations and food items from the market and decided to take it to Boko Haram fighters in the bush.
“Saboteurs are all over, people are just looking for how to make money and they don’t care whose life is being threatened. But we have made some arrests and we will continue to make arrests.
“People should stop trading with them ( Boko Haram Terrorists) Individuals buy fuel from filling Stations and go into the bush, siphon it and sell it to them, or they go to the market to buy food to sell to them. These are the things that keep on prolonging the war but we’re doing everything possible to deny them access to the logistics that keep them going.
“We have been picking out their ( Boko Haram Terrorists ) logisticians and informants. If anyone is helping the terrorists, the person will also be considered a terrorist and will be treated as such.
The Army General who revealed that over 67000 combatants and none -combatants Boko Haram fighters alongside their wives and children have surrendered to the Nigeria troops urged other fighters in the bush to make haste and surrender and not to be deceived by their commanders.
He stressed that the Boko Haram terrorists commanders are making huge amount of money from their foreign financiers and would not want their continuous mass surrendering to the military.
“Let the Boko Haram terrorists willing to Surrender not listen to their commanders; their commanders are making brisk business keeping them there. They are making money from their foreign sponsors.
“That’s why they (Boko Haram) are coming up with some propaganda videos just to get get money from their foreign sponsors,” Gen Musa said .
