Boko Haram Received Training Within And Outside Africa  – Nigeria’s Defence Minister

Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali on Wednesday stated that members of the Islamist terrorist group, Boko Haram were trained within and outside the shores of the African continent.

Presenting a paper on regional security at the 8th Conference on International Security in Moscow, Dan-Ali disclosed that the group has over the years received support and training from larger terror networks within and outside Africa

While noting that members of  Boko Haram have killed many innocent citizens over the years, the Minister said the sustained counter-insurgency operations by Nigeria and other countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission had destabilized the terrorists’ network.

“There is the worrisome rise in terrorism and insurgency on the African continent with specific reference to the Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin countries, Al-Shabaab in Somalia and Kenya and the Islamic State in Mali.

“Since 2009, Nigeria has been combating terrorism engendered by the Islamic sect called Boko Haram.

“The economic and developmental progress made by Africa is threatened by setbacks owing to traditional security concerns such as insurgency, armed conflicts, food insecurity, migration, economic crisis and political instability.

“Perhaps, a greater security concern for the African region is the emergence of new security issues such as terrorism, militancy, piracy, cultism, political and electoral violence. 

“Others are the growing youth involvement in substance and drug abuse, refugees and Internally Displaced Persons situation occasioned by conflicts, unemployment and poverty,” he added.