Boko Haram Received Training Within, Outside Africa – Defence Minister

Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali who presented a paper on regional security at the 8th conference on international security in Moscow, Russia, stated that Boko Haram received training within, outside Africa. According to the Defence Minister, though Boko Haram terrorists who over the years received support and training from larger terror networks within and outside Africa have killed many innocent citizens, however sustained counter-insurgency operations by Nigeria and other countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission had helped in destabilising the Boko Haram network. He said; “There is the worrisome rise in terrorism and insurgency on the African continent with specific reference to the Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin countries, Al-Shabaab in Somalia and Kenya, and the Islamic State in Mali. Since 2009, Nigeria has been combating terrorism engendered by the Islamic sect called Boko Haram. “…The economic and developmental progress made by Africa is threatened by setbacks owing to traditional security concerns such as insurgency, armed conflicts, food insecurity, migration, economic crisis and political instability. “Perhaps a greater security concern for the African region is the emergence of new security issues such as terrorism, militancy, piracy, cultism, political and electoral violence. Others are the growing youth involvement in substance and drug abuse, refugees and Internally Displaced Persons situation occasioned by conflicts, unemployment and poverty.”