Boko Haram expanding scope of activities in Niger
Boko Haram expanded the scope of its operations in Niger in a significant manner in the past three months.
The terrorist organization has
succeeded in controlling several towns and states in this African country.
It also managed to recruit a large
number of villagers after luring them with money, according to Reuters.
The Head of the Media Committee in Niger
state, Mohamed Sani Idris, said Boko Haram elements had entered the state in a
frightening manner.
Niger is a fragile African country
with poor security conditions, according to the United Nations.
This comes as the operations of
terrorist organizations cause the displacement of a large number of people, the
UN says.
It notes that a Boko Haram
escalation in neighboring Nigeria stokes the problem and causes more
displacement in the region.
Most of those fleeing the terrorist
organization in Nigeria go to Niger where Boko Haram is also mounting its
attacks, the UN says.
The UN has counted more than 100,000
new displaced persons and refugees in Niger since 2019.
This compounds the displacement
problem in this country which has 300,000 displaced persons already, the UN
adds.
It says over 450 people have also
been killed in terrorist attacks in Niger since the beginning of this year as
well.
Boko Haram has committed nearly 100
terrorist attacks this year, Reuters said.
It added that these attacks had left
450 people dead.
Why Niger?
The Agence France-Presse cited
several reasons behind terrorist attacks in Niger.
Niger, it said, has abundant
natural, especially mineral, resources.
This makes it a coveted destination
for terrorist organizations, most notably Boko Haram, the agency said.
It noted that terrorist
organizations are racing against each other to control that country, with Boko
Haram trying to capture the largest territory in it.
