The Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Maj-Gen. Christopher Musa has warned against trading with Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in the Northeast.
According to him, trading and other economic activities with the insurgents consolidate terrorism in the region.
The 13-year insurgency has killed about 40, 000 people with $9.4 billion (N4. 23 trillion) worth of property in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
Reviewing the counter-terrorism operations, yesterday (Monday), in Maiduguri, Musa, disclosed that; “The halt of trades and other activities with terrorists could bring an end to insurgency that claimed many lives in Borno.”
Besides, he added that terrorism has disrupted livelihoods of 1,7 million residents that led to the displacement of over 2.2 million people.
Lamenting trade with terrorists, he said: “One of the things we realize was the prolonging of terrorism by trading with insurgents.
According to him, the trading are in food and fuel supplies, including and other logistic materials in Sambisa Forest and the Lake Chad region.”
He further disclosed that a litre of fuel sells N10, 000 in the terrorists’ enclaves and fringes of the forest.
“So many people in Borno state, are drugging things,” he said, warning that they are taking risks to go there and sell fuel to make money from terrorism.
He said that there are also people that go to markets to buy food items for Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists.
“If we catch you doing those things, you’re being treated like one of the terrorists’ suspects,” he warned, declaring that nobody should trade with terror groups to restore peace.
He also warned parents not to allow their children to play with any strange objects on farmlands, warning that they could be planted by terrorists.
