More than 1,000 Boko Haram insurgents have been arrested in the South-West by northerners in the region, the head of the Hausa community in Lagos, Sarkin Hausawa of Lagos, Alhaji Sani Kabir, has revealed.

Kabir disclosed this yesterday in Abuja when the Arewa Council of Chiefs in the South-West visited the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) in his office.

He said the arrests were made at different times, adding that those arrested were Boko Haram members who fled from the Civilian JTF/military onslaught on the insurgents in the North-Wast and those who came to the South-West to further the insurgency.

Kabir said the council had taken it up itself to ensure that Boko Haram does not take root in the South-West because, according to him, such a development would complicate the security challenges facing Nigeria.

He said: “So far in the South-West, we have peace and this is achieved through the collaboration of Arewa people and Arewa chiefs.

“If you can confirm with the security agencies, we have arrested more than 1,000 Boko Haram members throughout the South-West states. Any suspicious movement, we promptly report to the security agents because we believe that the problem is actually the Nigerian problem but if there is any breakdown of law and order in the South-West, we are the prime targets irrespective of whether you are a member of Boko Haram or not.

“All the Arewa sarkis (kings) in the South-West are up and doing to make sure that we do not allow any breakdown of law and order in our communities.”

The Sarking Hausawa Lagos while speaking on how they did the arrest, said: “We inform our leaders that when new people come into their midst, and they observe their behaviour.

“Some of the leaders in the South-West are northerners, some of them are from Borno State, they can know. There were even instances where JTF do come from Borno State to identify some of them.”

He stated that those identified as Boko Haram members were immediately handed over to security agencies.

On the 2015 presidential elections, the group pledged their support for the re-election President Goodluck Jonathan, saying the loyalty dates back to 2011.

Responding, Turaki, who received the group on behalf of President Jonathan, thanked them for their efforts at ensuring that insurgency did not extend to the South-west.

He said: “I want to thank you for the enormous support you have given to this government and for the enormous support you have given to Mr. President as a person right from the time of the 2011 electioneering campaigns to date.

•Adapted from a THISDAY report. File photo shows Boko Haram suspects arrested elsewhere in Nigeria by security operatives.

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