Governor Babangida Muazu Aliyu? of Niger State has said there is a strong link between some key members of Boko Haram and Islamic group, Daru-Salam, based in Bokani, Mokwa local government area of Niger State. The members were allegedly dislodged in 2009 by security operatives.
Aliyu, who disclosed this when he received members of the Minna Market Traders Association at Government House,Minna, said pictures of some of the key members often published in Boko Haram website were the same as the ones captured by the security agents before the Daru-Salam members were dislodged from Bokani.
He said that if not for the proactive nature of the security officers and the state government, the state would have been made the base of the Boko Haram because then everybody rose against the Daru-Salam settlement that was secluded from others.
The governor said everyone must rise against anything capable of impeding the peace of the people, saying that the security situation has created a negative impact on not only northern Nigeria, but the nation as a whole.
According to him, no business could thrive in the state of insecurity, as every business needs a peaceful and secured environment to thrive.
Aliyu said that with the recent attack on security agents in the state capital, Minna, government has devised strategy to tighten security all over the state and therefore, urged the people to cooperate with security agents in their operations.