The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has declared that Boko Haram insurgents have been significantly weakened and are now “standing on their last leg.”
Idris made this known during an interview with international broadcaster, France24, aired on Tuesday.
For over a decade, the Boko Haram insurgency has ravaged Nigeria’s North-East region, leaving a trail of destruction, mass abductions, and displacement of thousands.
The terrorist group, which seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate, once held swathes of territory across local government areas in Borno and surrounding states.
However, Idris maintained that years of sustained military offensives have pushed the group into retreat.
“I think they’re on their last legs,” he said. “Hitherto, they were holding territories, especially in the northeastern part of Nigeria — local governments, towns, cities — now it’s no longer the case.”
“They’ve largely dissipated; they’ve run into the bushes and are now only capable of hitting soft targets.”
While acknowledging that Boko Haram has not been completely eradicated, the minister expressed confidence in the security forces’ ability to neutralise remaining threats.
“We’re not saying we have 100 percent exterminated Boko Haram, but I think that we have degraded Boko Haram significantly for them not to pose any serious challenge to Nigeria anymore,” he added.
The minister also noted that the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and a lesser-known group, Lakurawa, are also in retreat and will soon be “crushed” by Nigerian security forces.
Idris’s comments come amid recent concerns by Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, who warned of a resurgence in attacks and kidnappings in parts of the state.
Zulum had described the dislodgment of some military formations in local government areas as a “significant setback” in the fight against insurgency.
The governor called for renewed and coordinated efforts to combat the threats posed by the resurgent terror groups.
Despite Zulum’s alarm, the Federal Government appears confident in the current trajectory of counter-insurgency operations, asserting that the days of Boko Haram and its affiliates are numbered.
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