... not to be confused with Procol Harum, Harum Scarum, possibly to be confused with Helter Skelter. The Nigerian version of al-Qaeda and the Taliban rolled together and flavored with a smigeon of distinctly Subsaharan ignorance and brutality...sect in parts of the North-East has set alarm bells ringing again. When Nigerians thought that the lawless group had been significantly degraded, it began to make a forceful comeback, in concert with ISWAP, leaving many astounded.
According to Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, the renewed attacks indicate that the government is worse off.
He said, ''As I address this important gathering today, it is unfortunate that the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities, almost daily, without confrontation, signalled that Borno State is losing ground.''
Zulum lamented that the recent attacks and dislodgement of military formations in some LGAs, among other related killings of innocent civilians and security agencies, called for serious concern.
The Shehu of Borno, Abubakar el-Kanemi, hailed security agencies in the fight against terrorism, but emphasised that three LGAs of Guzamala, Marte, Abbadam and some parts of Mobbar were still under the total control of Boko Haram. He said most of those communities were without civil authority.
The Nigerian military, however, denied the governor's assertions.
Bulama Bukarti, a security expert and senior fellow at the Extremism Policy Unit of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, said, ''We know that Boko Haram now operates unmanned drones. They survey military formations in the North-East with unmanned drones.''
These revelations are a sobering indicator that the deadly sect continues to expand its methods on various frontiers without being effectively challenged.
The situation is quite grim and dire for thousands of resettled persons in various Borno communities in Gwoza LGA and other places deemed to be safe.
Some of these communities are far-flung and are not regularly covered by security forces.