Unknown to members of the public, the Hausa community in the South West has arrested more than 1000 members of the Boko Haram insurgents in some parts of the region, Alhaji Sani Kabir Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos revealed this to the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN on Thursday when the former visited the latter in his office in Abuja.
Alhaji Kabir said most of those arrested were either Boko Haram members trying to evade the Civilian JTF/military onslaught or those who came to the South West to further the insurgency.
He said the Council has taken it up itself to ensure that Boko Haram did not take root in the South West because according to him, such a development would complicate the security challenges facing Nigeria.
“So far in the South west, we have peace and this is achieved through the collaboration of Arewa people and Arewa chiefs.
“If you can confirm with the security agencies, we have arrested more tham 1000 Boko Haram members throughout the south west states. Any suspicious movement, we promptly report to the security agents because we believe that the problem is actually the Nigerian problem but if there is any breakdown of law and order in the south west, we are the prime targets irrespective of whether you are a member of Boko Haram or not.
“All the Arewa sarkis (kings) in the south west are up and doing to make sure that we do not allow any breakdown of law and order in our communities.”
On how they did the arrest, he said, “we inform our leaders that when new people come into their midst, and they observe their behaviour. Some of the leaders in the south west are northerners, some of them are from Borno state, they can know.
There were even instances where JTF do come from Borno state to identify some of them” adding that those identified as Boko Haram members were immediately handed over to security agenies.
Responding, the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Alhaji Kabir Tanimu Turaki who received the group on behalf of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan thanked the Arewa leaders for their efforts to ensure that insurgency did not extend to the south west.
“I want to thank you very much for the efforts the Arewa Council of Chiefs in the south west is making, working with security agencies to ensure that the security challenges we have in the north east does not extend to the south west” the Minister said.