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From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has raised alarm over the reported infiltration of a new Boko Haram splinter group, known as Wulowulo, into the North Central region of Nigeria.
Speaking during a security stakeholders’ meeting in Lafia on Tuesday, Governor Sule, who also serves as Chairman of the North Central Governors’ Forum, urged regional leaders and security agencies to unite against the emerging threat.
“As you are aware, this new group called Wulowulo, which is a splinter group of Boko Haram, is beginning to surface in the North Central zone,” the governor stated. “The Lakurawa group is now a big problem in Kwara. Originally, they were somewhere around Kebbi and Sokoto States, but now they have become prominent in Kwara. Kwara is one of the states in North Central.”
Governor Sule warned that the emergence of the group could further compound the already tense security situation in the region, which has been battling banditry and kidnapping. He called on security agencies to intensify surveillance and operations to prevent the spread of the new group into Nasarawa State, pledging the state government’s continued support in terms of logistics and coordination.
The governor’s remarks came just five days after suspected armed men killed eight villagers in an early morning attack on Nindama community in Kokona Local Government Area of the state.
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He said the meeting was convened in response to security intelligence suggesting that criminal elements from other regions were attempting to infiltrate the North Central zone.
“One of the reasons why we invited you here is the fact that the situation of insecurity, especially in other parts of the country, is a big concern, and some of them are beginning to spread into our state,” he said. “It is very important that we take steps to ensure that does not happen to us.”
Governor Sule also expressed concern over the rising cases of kidnapping in parts of the state, particularly in Lafia and Karu Local Government Areas, admitting that previous strategies had not been effective enough.
“Kidnapping has remained constant, especially in Lafia Local Government. It has moved from other places and become more prominent in Lafia and parts of Karu Local Government,” he said. “That is the reason why I believe very strongly that whatever we are doing in the past may not be enough. We need to find another formula around it.”
Meanwhile, investigation could not verify any records or history of a group known as Wulowulo, aside from the already known Boko Haram offshoots Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) which emerged following leadership disagreements within the insurgent ranks.
