Why Boko Haram Struck Again in Borno

Three reasons may have accounted for the over-running of Maiduguri International Airport by Boko Haram members, it was learnt yesterday.

The factors are the capturing last week of a key commander of Boko Haram by the military, the continuous air raid of the sect’s cells on Maiduguri-Damaturu Road and the need for reprisals, and alleged anger over plans by former Governor Modu Ali Sheriff to visit the state and attend a reception where he will speak on the sect.

According to a top source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, the arrested commander was said to be the sect’s “key strategist”.

The source said: “We are suspecting reprisals following the capturing of the key commander, who had been vital to Boko Haram operation.

“They probably felt that the commander, who was captured last week, would be revealing a lot to the military.

“They must have acted on false intelligence report that the suspect was still either being detained in Maiduguri or was being flown out of the city.

“They have not been able to locate the said commander. This might have accounted for spontaneous attacks on military installations and some parts of Maiduguri.”

Another source said the recent air raids on Sambisa Forest and various cells of the sect along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway might have also provoked counter-attacks.

The source added: “We saw the attacks from purely the angle of reprisals because Boko Haram has suffered some setback in recent times.

“They decided to lay ambush for the military to prove a point that they are still intact in spite of the destruction of their base and cells.”

On where the fighters are coming from, the source said there is a suspicion that the sect might have been using some villages in Chad as operational bases”.

It was learnt that Sheriff planned to use the forum to prove his innocence - that he did not breed the sect, as being alleged in some quarters.

Although the reception was scheduled twice in the last two and a half months, it was cancelled at the last minute.

There were fears that Boko Haram sect might have got wind of the plans and decided to take over the Maiduguri International Airport to stall...