Military Dislodges Another Radical Islamic Sect In Niger

No fewer than 240 members of a radical and controversial Islamic sect were yesterday, June 4 evacuated from their camp by the joint military group led by Lt. Col Adamu Yakubu.

The sect, Nibrassiya Huda Islamic Sect made up of mostly young men and women were dislodged from their houses in a forest in Chechei, Lapai Local Government Area in Niger State and about 40 thatched roof houses built of straws and new buildings were demolished.
The sect under the leadership of of Sheik Mohammed Abubakar, had been at loggerheads with members of the public and the traditional ruler of the town, Etsu Lapai, Alhaji Umar Bago Tafida, who accused the leader of the sect of teaching and propagating wrong doctrines that have no root in Islam.
Members of the group were also accused of causing trouble, attacking people who do not share their views, engaging in promiscuous activities, conducting forced marriages which they also dissolve at will and they also allegedly see other Muslims as not well informed as they are.
Their problem started on May 13, when the government of Niger State revoked the Certificate of Occupancy of the land where the camp was situated and giving the sect members two weeks notice to move out, following complaints by the public that the sect was using the place to train terrorists but the members ignored the government.
Yesterday, the military troop swung into action and evacuated the sect members from the camp, moving them to their local government areas except for two members who were said to have hailed from Kwara State.
However, the leader of the sect, Mohammed Abubakar debunked all the allegations against them, saying the group had come together only for the purpose of learning more of Islam and without any other motive and they have never engaged in illegal activities.
Meanwhile, the Etsu Lapai, Alhaji Umaru Bago Tafida, commended the action of the state government in dislodging the group, saying “if no action is taken now, the sect will grow to become a terror that will consume all.”
The Niger State Jumaat Imams Forum had sometime in April raised an alarm over the spring up of Boko Haram look-alike Islamic group in Bida, Niger State, which according to them is capable of impeaching the peace of the state