Nigerian local government officials arrested over links to Boko Haram

The Nigerian army has announced on Wednesday the arrest of two local government officials suspected of having links with terrorist group Boko Haram.

The Chairman of Mafa Local Government Area in Borno, Shettima Lawan, was arrested by the army for accommodating Boko Haram members.

“We heard that he harboured Boko Haram members along with his father. That he kept the Boko Haram members because the father begged him to do so. All I can say is that the Chairman is a big supporter of Boko Haram,” Major General Lucky Irabor, Commander of the anti-Boko Haram operation told the media in Maiduguri.

“At some point he was valuable to us being with the Civilian JTF (vigilante force) to fight Boko Haram. But that does not mean we cannot investigate him for a crime especially one like this,” the commander added.

He also announced the arrest of the Vice Chairman of the Kaga Local Government Area.

Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari announced on December 24 last year that the army had crushed Boko Haram in the Sambisa forest located in the Borno State after months of armed operations.

Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau later dismissed the claims in a video which the army described as “empty terrorist propaganda”.