Ansaru terrorist group have consolidated their administrative base and garrison in Kaduna forest, with a plan to impose on and run their kind of Islamic state across the entire northwest from that point
A July memo, exclusively reported by Premium Times, which Kaduna Gov Nasir El Rufai sent to Presient Muhammadu Buhari stated this.
The governor said the terrorists are maintaining their grip on communities and running a “parallel” government and “permanent operational base”.
In the memo, he pointed out how the terrorists infiltrated and dominated, and have started generating revenues from the localities.
“Observed movement patterns and intercepted communications of migrating terrorists have shown a clear interest in setting up a base, with the stretches of forest area between Kaduna and Niger states strongly considered,” he wrote.
All these revelations also have implictions for the 023 general elections,
The governor said the terrorists have made laws toban the communities from participating in the election,
“The insurgents enacted a law in the District, banning all forms of political activity or campaign ahead of the 2023 elections, especially in Madobiya and Kazage villages,” he wrote.
“According to actionable intelligence, members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Musulmina Fi’biladis Sudan (aka Ansaru) hibernating in Kuyello district of Birnin Gwari LGA recently conducted a nuptial ceremony during which they married two yet-to-be-identified female residents of Kuyello village,” Mr El-Rufai wrote.
“The ceremony was attended by various Ansaru members and witnessed by residents of the area. After the marital rites, insurgents in attendance reportedly conveyed the brides to the dreaded Kuduru forest, in the same District.”
In the area of adjudicating disputes, Mr El-Rufai said the terrorists “fined one Mu’azu Ibrahim, a resident of Kuyello community, the sum of One Million Naira for selling plots of land without the consent of the owners.”
“Multiple reports also exist of bandits and terrorists exacting protection levies and similar taxes from farmers and communities, in return for permission to cultivate their fields,” the governor said.
Before the memo, there had been news reports of the Anaru group securing many of these communities against bandits that had been oppressing and killing the locals.
The terrorist intervention followed by domination appears a lesser of two evils. The communities, under the Ansar parallel government and tax regime, now enjoy some level of stability in their local economy, especially farming.