TheCable

The growing number of women involved in Boko Haram operations is complicating anti-terror efforts in Nigeria, a security source has informed TheCable.

Until now, women arrested on suspicion of being sympathisers of Boko Haram had not been classified as “operatives”.

“They were usually regarded as wives and relatives of the insurgents, not as foot soldiers,” the official, who declined to be named because of the sensitive nature of the issue, said.

He confirmed that some of them previously arrested were released because they were considered only “guilty by association” ─ not that they had perpetuated any terror attacks.

But recent developments have alerted security agencies to the new reality ─ and this could further hurt the anti-terror initiative of the federal government.

One of the conditions for peace often listed by Boko Haram is the release of its members in detention, but the government had only been willing to release women and children in the belief that they are “non-combatants”.

But new evidence tends to show that women and children are fully involved in the militancy which has claimed over 10,000 lives in five years, according to official estimates.

“The attack on Gombe barracks was carried out by someone wearing a hijab. If not that soldiers on guard were very alert and decided to conduct a search, the casualty figure would have been high,” the source said.

The would-be bomber and the soldier carrying out the search died instantly when a device hidden in the hand bag exploded.

It was later discovered that the “woman” was actually a man dressed in hijab, apparently to trick the security operatives into lowering their guard.

Also, one of the twin blasts at Apapa, Lagos State, on June 25 was said to have been carried out by a woman wearing hijab.

Authorities have also announced the arrest of Hafsat Bako (pictured), suspected of being a Boko Haram informant.

Bako was “actively involved in gathering information for Boko Haram as well as tending to the welfare of its cell members”, the official said, corroborating earlier claims by military spokesman Major-Gen. Chris Olukolade.

Olukolade had, while announcing the arrest of a suspected Boko Haram double agent last week, said two women had also been nabbed.

Bako was named as one, while the other was Haj Kaka who was described as “an armourer” and “a spy” for Boko Haram.

While these new leads are considered helpful, there is a complication over the religious and cultural sensitivity involved.

“People are very sensitive about their women in the north and any security operation in a politically volatile environment like ours has to be done carefully,” he said.

Prominent northerners, including the sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar II, accused the government of targeting Muslims and northerners in the anti-terror operations following the arrest of hundreds of travellers in Abia State by soldiers.

Nearly 500 of them were being transported in 35 buses when they were stopped ─ while two buses escaped, most of those questioned were reportedly unable to explain their mission.

They were later classified as “traders” by the northern socio-political group, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), although the military said a “notorious” terror kingpin was identified among the travellers.

There is now serious suspicion that Boko Haram is preparing to spread its terror campaign to the south.

“If northern leaders could complain so openly about the arrests in Abia, there is certainly going to be trouble if the security agencies start screening women in hijab,” he said.

A minister, who spoke with TheCable on the new developments, said President Goodluck Jonathan had used both formal and informal means to appeal to northern leaders on the need to allow the security agencies to do their work “but the situation remains tricky”.