• Arrest proves sect has European
members
• Bama, Baga about to be liberated as
more insurgents are slayed in
Sambisa, Gwoza
• Chad inflicts more casualties on
terror group
Senator Iroegbu in Abuja with agency
report
Following the capture of eight French
nationals who are members of the
terror group Boko Haram, a
diplomatic spat has ensued between
France and Cameroun, which has
insisted on trying the terror suspects.
A top Nigerian intelligence source
opened up to THISDAY on the
brewing diplomatic tensions between
France and one of her Francophone
allies in the sub-region following the
shocking discovery that some French
citizens are staunch members of the
sect, a throwback to their
membership of the terror group,
Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
According to findings, France was
reported to have chided her former
colony for insisting on trying the
terrorists in Cameroun instead of
handing them over to the French
authorities.
Enraged by the audacity of Cameroun
to hold its citizens, the French Foreign
Minister, Mr. Lauren Fabuci, was
alleged to have ordered that the
suspects be handed over to the
European country with immediate
effect.
However, Camerounian authorities
were said to have felt slighted and
have protested the manner in which
France had demanded the release of
its nationals.
A Camerounian minister was quoted
to have said: “Mr. Lauren Fabuci, the
French Foreign Minister, has ordered
Cameroun to release immediately
eight Europeans captured by our
security men, for being part of Boko
Haram terrorists.
“Mr. Fabuci demanded their
immediate handover to France so that
they can prosecute the terrorists on
French soil, ignoring our sovereignty
and independence.
“The French are acting as if Cameroun
is their errand boy that they can order
around and ignore the fact that we
have our own laws with which we can
try the terrorists.”
The latest revelation has lent credence
to strong suspicions in the Nigerian
intelligence community that Boko
Haram has strong foreign backing.
When contacted on the discovery of
French nationals who had joined the
terror sect, the Director of Defence
Information, Major-General Chris
Olukolade, said it was a matter for the
parties involved to sort themselves
out.
“All I can tell you is that the matter is
for Camerounian and French
authorities to settle,” Olukolade
stated.
However, a top military officer said
the Nigerian intelligence community
had previously warned of a growing
foreign collaboration with Boko
Haram.
He said other than Chadians, Boko
Haram has a large presence of Arabs,
Malians and other Islamists who have
joined the sect.
“Now we have seen evidence of
French and European participation.
This is one major indication that Boko
Haram has very active and
sophisticated foreign backing. I advise
that the African Union should take this
up.
“France is trying to silence the
Camerounians but Africa must rise to
the occasion and take this findings
seriously. They must not keep quiet,”
the military source said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military has
continued its onslaught to rid the
North-east of Boko Haram terrorists,
as a concerted air campaign by the
Nigerian Air Force has resulted in the
death of a large number of Boko
Haram terrorists in Borno State.
This is coming just as military sources
informed THISDAY that the boundary
town of Baga and to some extent
Bama, might have been liberated,
save for few pockets of resistance by
Boko Haram elements and mop-up
operations in both towns.
According to a statement yesterday by
the spokesman of the Defence
Headquarters, Major-General
Olukolade, “A concerted air campaign
by the Nigerian Air Force is ongoing in
furtherance of the mission to clear
terrorists from all their enclaves.
“The air strikes which today
(yesterday) targeted the training
camps and logistics dumps of the
terrorists in Sambisa forest and parts
of Gwoza have been highly successful
as it achieved the aim with required
precision.
“The death of a large number of
terrorists has been recorded, while
many others are also scampering all
over the forest and out of the struck
bases. Details of casualty will be
determined in subsequent phases of
the operation.”
Olukolade said the strikes would
continue in other locations of the
theatre of war, heralding the advance
of troops and other elements of the
mission.
In the same vein, the Nigerian military
buoyed by the joint offensive of
neighbouring Chad and Cameroun, is
set to complete the liberation of other
strategic towns in Borno State.
A top intelligence source informed
THISDAY that Baga followed by Bama
would soon be freed from the firm
grip of the terrorists.
“There are some small details to be
taken care of, but the operations have
been largely successful. You will soon
hear the cheering news from the
appropriate authorities.
“The Baga liberation is almost
complete and mop-up operation
phase is already ongoing," the source
said.
Also, the insurgents suffered heavy
casualties when Chadian troops
pushed into Nigeria this week,
residents who fled the fighting told
AFP yesterday.
Chad’s army said Tuesday evening
that they had taken control of the
town of Dikwa, which is about 50
kilometres (31 miles) southwest of the
Nigerian border town of Gamboru.
The offensive deep inside Nigerian
territory was a first and suggested
strategy to tackle other rebel-
controlled areas in Borno State, which
is the terror group’s stronghold.
The Chadians are part of a four-
country coalition mounting a regional
fight-back against the Islamists.
“Chadian soldiers took over Dikwa
from Boko Haram after heavy fighting
on Tuesday,” Bababura Diwa, who
lives in the town, said by telephone
from Fotokol, across the border in
northern Cameroun.
Diwa said the Chadians came from
Gamboru, which they had previously
recaptured, with heavy artillery power
and overpowered a group of militants
at Lomani village, 15 kilometres from
Dikwa.
“When they came into Dikwa, there
was intense fighting but at last they
subdued the Boko Haram fighters,”
he added.
“They killed many of them, including
Abu Ashshe, their commander, who
was notorious for seizing cattle in the
area.
“I used the opportunity provided by
the presence of the Chadian troops to
leave the town. I was afraid to leave
when Boko Haram took over the town
for fear of being branded a traitor and
killed,” he said.
Diwa's account was backed by several
other residents, who took advantage
of the Chadian advance to flee the
ancient town, which is near Boko
Haram’s makeshift camps in the
Sambisa Forest.
Jidda Saleh, another resident, said
Chadian troops launched heavy aerial
and ground attacks on the Kala-Balge
area, particularly on Nduwu village,
which he said was a “major Boko
Haram stronghold”.
“The whole village was bombarded
and it is obvious Boko Haram suffered
heavy casualties from the aerial attack.
Ground troops moved in later,” he
added.
“Meleri, which has a huge Boko
Haram concentration, was also
bombed by Chadian military jets and
then taken over by ground troops.
“By the time we left, we learnt the
Chadian soldiers were on their way to
Kushimori village where Boko Haram
keep the livestock they seize from
people.
“They have kept thousands of
livestock there. They sunk boreholes
and recruited people to rear the
animals for them,” Saleh said.
Algoni Wal-Amire, another Kala-Balge
resident, welcomed the offensive.
“Living under Boko Haram was like
living in a minefield. You are always
afraid your next step could be your
last. I thank God I'm now safe from
them,” he said.

www.thisdaylive.com/articles/france-cameroun-lock-horns-over-captured-french-boko-haram-fighters/202268/

Hmmmmmn...I'm suspecting france ooo