By John Ikani
The Nigerian Army has said that the Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) have resorted to releasing video propaganda falsely portraying lavish lifestyle in their enclaves to recruit new fighters.
The Army in a statement issued by Director, Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, said the video portraying terrorists living a lavish lifestyle was to lure unsuspecting individuals to join the terrorist group, adding that terrorists who surrendered lamented the unbearable condition they were living in the forest.
It added that the development was as a result of the sustained and well coordinated military bombardments from both Land and Air Components of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) which has exerted so much pressure on the terrorists and their sympathisers, whose only available weapon now, is cheap and uncoordinated propaganda.
A copy of the statement titled ‘Fear-stricken Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists resort to video propaganda’ was obtained by Heritage Times.
It reads: “Faced with the obvious reality of defeat and inability to carry out attacks that have hitherto been the strategy to assert relevance in the eyes of the public, Boko Haram Terrorists have resorted to cheap propaganda in order to seek relevance.
“This of course, was as a result of the sustained and well coordinated military bombardments from both Land and Air Components of Operation HADIN KAI.
“This sustained operation of troops has exerted so much pressure on the terrorists and their sympathizers, whose only available weapon now is cheap and uncoordinated propaganda.
“In recent times, a good number of these terrorists have surrendered to troops in different locations across the theatre, a trend that indicates that they are losing the capacity to remain in the fight. Apparently, there are indications that their fighting capability has been severely encumbered by devastating depletion, with their remnants deserting various enclaves, leaving behind a few diehards that will undoubtedly be eliminated by the highly spirited troops of OPHK in no distant future.
“In a bid to replenish their fast depleting fighting force and clandestinely conscript unsuspecting individuals to join their fold, BHT embarked on a subtle recruitment drive using the said propaganda video to portray a lavish lifestyle in their so-called fortress; a psychological strategy desperately deployed to attract impressionable youths and unsuspecting individuals.
“A cursory look at the video revealed an amateur work of doctored old clips and images from different backgrounds, skewed with blurred images that are incoherent and illogical. The incontrovertible reality is that the group is facing imminent destruction and extinction. Contrary to the false impression they attempt to project, of a blissful life in their enclaves, the true situation in their evil enclave is one of hunger, disease, brutality, high level of immorality and the constant fear of military offensives. This is largely responsible for the terrorists’ turning in their arms in droves as the gallant troops of OPHK are rendering their enclaves uninhabitable with fierce offensives.
“As a matter of fact, most of the terrorists who surrendered to the troops lamented that the condition in their enclaves had become too harsh and completely unbearable that they had no option than to give themselves up to troops.“
He, however, said the Army would adhere to extant laws on those who have surrendered, adding that troops would not hesitate to subdue unrepentant terrorists who are still unleashing terror in the North East.
