We have weakened Boko Haram – DHQ

John Enenche, defence spokesman has said that Boko Haram insurgents are “weakened enemies” of the country and they no longer have “sovereignty or authority” on any territory in the country. 

Eneche said as of 2015, Boko Haram had between 17 and 20 local government areas under its control, but those territories have been recaptured under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.

You would recall that in a message to commemorate the armed forces remembrance day, the presidency had said Boko Haram insurgents are weaker compared to 2015.

Enenche reaffirmed this saying “Yes, the commander-in-chief is very right by saying that we have a weaker Boko Haram. Why is it so? In the sense that as at 2015, before they came on board, we had a very terrible situation in the northeast”.

“Between 17 and 20 local government areas were under the full authority of the insurgents, that is the Boko Haram group and what does that translate to. It translated to a fact that in these LGA’s, Boko Haram constituted authority, local administration and judiciary”.

He further said “They were even collecting levies, which we can term taxes, the people were subject to them, they sack traditional rulers and most of them were into exile. By 2016, the whole place were recaptured.”

Eneche said the current crop of Boko Haram insurgents are hiding from one bush to another enclave with no capacity to fight.

“Now what we have as Boko Haram is a weakened enemy of the country, so it is very right going by my analysis I just made.”

“Whereby they were moving from bush to enclave, from enclave to bush. They do not have any sovereignty or authority in any territory in the northeast, by extension Nigeria, so we now have a weakened Boko Haram”.

“Of, course if they are a strong force to be contended with, why don’t they come out? They cannot come out.”