CAN raises alarm over alleged relocation of Boko Haram leaders to Southern Kaduna

Chairman,Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter, Revd Joseph Hayab, has described the alleged relocation of Boko Haram leaders to Southern Kaduna as a wake-up call on people of the area.

Hayab told Daily Sun last night that though the news of the alleged relocation was not new, government has not done enough to protect the people. He claimed all the calls from voices of reason appeared not to have moved both the federal and state governments to rise to the occasion.

“The relocation of Boko Haram to Southern Kaduna is not new. Who are those that have been killing people indiscriminately in that area in the last few years? The church, SOKAPU and the people have been complaining about killings in Southern Kaduna but only fell on the deaf ear of those in authority. Therefore, the leaked document has simply confirmed our worries and shows that more days for killings of innocent citizens are coming unless the people take personal initiative to defend their lives and land. Our government has not done enough to convince us that they want to stop the killings going on all over the area.

Now, we were being told that there is a leaked memo about Boko Haram when those in authority have always turned deaf ears to cries of our people when we complain about killers that people see everyday. Boko Haram fleeing North East to Southern Kaduna is simply a wake-up call for the southern Kaduna people to rise to the occasion,” he said.

A leaked DSS memo had said insurgents were relocating from Sambisa forest in Borno state to Chikun LGA in Kaduna state.

The alert was in a leaked memo marked NSCDC/NHQ/INT&INVST/323/2021 dated September 9, 2021 and signed by B.O Bassey, acting deputy commandant-general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, intelligence and investigation.

The DSS, therefore, asked the civil defence to be on the alert.

“It has been uncovered, plans by senior Boko Haram fighter, Ibrahim (FNU) alongside his foot soldiers relocating from ‘Sambisa Forest in Borno State to Rijana Forest in Chikun local government area of Kaduna State with a view to joining their counterpart under the leadership of one Adamu Yunusu (aka Saddiqu).

“In light of the above, you are hereby directed to step up surveillance and intelligence gathering on the aforementioned areas and environs.”

Meanwhile, months after the crash involving a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) King Air 350 aircraft on May 21 at the  Kaduna Civil Airport, Commissioner of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Akin Olateru, submitted an interim report  to the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Amao, at his office at NAF Headquarters, Abuja.

After the crash, the CAS directed that a joint investigative body consisting of  NAF safety officers and the AIB be constituted to investigate the causes.

A joint statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore  Edward Gabkwet and General Manager, Public Affairs, AIB, Tunji Oketunbi, revealed that at this interim stage, a total of 27 initial findings and eight safety recommendations were made for the convening authority as well as other aviation-related agencies for immediate implementation.

They further disclosed that it is expected that the final report would contain the flight data recorder readout, the reviewed operator’s and service provider’s standard operating procedures as well as other detailed analyses.

While receiving the report, the CAS reiterated the main essence of activating the ‘joint investigative’ clause contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between the NAF and the AIB on July 1, 2020.

He said successful collaboration is a clear indication of the potency of collaboration in aircraft accident investigation, which must be encouraged.

(Courtesy Daily Sun: Excluding headline)