Prominent radical Boko Haram preacher, Alhaji Ari-Difinoma
By Zagazola Makama
A prominent radical preacher and leader of the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād (JAS), Boko Haram terrorists group, Alhaji Ari-Difinoma, has surrendered to the Nigerian Army, Zagazola learnt.
It was gathered that Ari-Difinoma, surrendered to the troops 21 Special Armoured Brigade Bama, Operation Hadin Kai, on May 16, 2022.
An Intelligence source told Zagazola Makama, a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad that Ari-Difinoma was forced out of his hideout following sustained bombardment by troops of Operation Hadin Kai.
Anther factor that compelled him to surrender to troops include the intensified infighting between the Boko Haram and its rival faction, the Islamic State of the West African Province(ISWAP).
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Zagazola learnt that the ISWAP had launched a surprise attack against the Boko Haram at Ukuba, a camp that had been repeatedly destroyed by the Nigerian troops but reoccupied by the terrorists, forcing the Boko Haram terrorists to flee.
The sources said that Ari-Difinoma and others ran to hide in a small village located in the village of Mantari, within the axis of Bama Local Government but were forced out of their hideout by hunger and unending Artillery bombardments by the Nigerian troops.
“It was at that point that Mr Ari-Difinoma decided to abandon the rest of his colleagues and ran out to surrender himself.
Alhaji Ari-Difinoma, who is an Indigene of Monguno in Borno state and ran one of the Radicalisation schools in Ukuba Camp in Sambisa forest under the Darul-Qur’an, has recruited many children and youths through teaching of extremists’ ideologies within the past 10 years.
Recall that over 52,000 members of Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists comprising of fighters, those conscripted by force, and their families, had so far surrendered to the troops.
Credit: Zagazola Makama