Boko Haram: Nigeria Deports 83 Nigeriens

The Boko Haram insurgency has taken a dramatic turn with as the Federal Government deports more than 83 Nigeriens to their country for being inclined to the Islamic sect.

The Nigerien government decribed the situation as unfortunate, and undiplomatic on the part of the Nigerian government despite being active partners in international politics.

In an interview with the BBC Hausa Service monitored yesterday in Kaduna, the Nigerien minister of Foreign Affairs, Malam Badu Mohammed said, “we have received reports that our citizens have been brought home because of the security challenges in Nigerian North-East, in the Boko Haram insurgency.

And we will appeal to the Nigerian government to be conscious and sensitive in dealing with such issues because there is high tendency of violating rights of our citizens.”

Badu noted that both countries had similarities that were supposed to serve as template of bilateral partnership, and said “We are not arguing that Nigeria is not having insecurity situation and we are in the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) together, but they should consider some vital relationships, and from this it has gotten to a point that we will approach them, because we are sharing several attributes together including democracy practice.”

He further noted that Nigerian government had also previously deported the Niger citizens following the ethno-religious crises in Jos, Plateau State.

It would be recalled that the Kaduna State Police Command recently stated that Nigeriens were involved in some major bombings in the state.

The former Kaduna Commissioner of Police, John Haruna had said then that four nationals of Niger Republic were linked to the bomb blasts that rocked the state in two different locations, Happy Night Hotel, Kabala West and Magajin Gari Sharia Court, saying, one Abubakar Abdullaeez, a Nigerian, and principal suspect, was promptly arrested at the scene.

Another suspect, Shaibu Abdulahi of Igabi local government who was seriously injured by the explosion, suspected to have been from an improvised explosive device, is being treated in hospital.

The investigation has also led to the arrest of one Malam Samaila Alhassan believed to have sponsored the dastardly act and he has made useful statement which provided significant leads in the investigation.”
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