The Nigeria police, acting on orders from the presidency, Saturday raided the camp of suspected Islamic fundamentalist sect ‘Darullslam’ in Mokwa, northern Niger state, and dislodged its over 3,500 inhabitants without casualty, the private Punch newspaper reported Sunday.
The raid, which also involved immigration service officials, was aimed at stemming a crisis similar to the recent Boko Haram-led violence that left about 800 people dead and over 4,000 displaced in several states in the predominantly-Muslim northern Nigeria.
Several members of ‘Darullslam’ sect, whose men are usually clad in white appare ls and the women in black veils, are believed to be from the neighbouring countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon, hence the decision to involve the immigration of f icials to screen the dislodged members, who are now being held at a college compound in Mokwa.
”We have received series of reports about the activities of the sect from neigh bouring communities, the local government and the emirate,” said Niger state police boss Mike Zuokumor.
”Most people have been expressing apprehension concerning their activities and it is our duty to ensure law and order,” the police boss said, adding that some people in the neighbourhood had reported the forceful abduction of their family members by the sect.
But the leader of the group, Amrul Bashir Abdullahi, denied that his sect was involved in any violence, and slammed the police for infringing on the members fundamental human rights.
”We decided to create a camp for ourselves outside the entire community because of the problem in the larger society. These are problems of drunkenness, corruption, prostitution and so on which Allah forbids,” he said.
Security analysts have said there are many dangerous Islamic fundamentalist sects in northern Nigeria, and the viciousness of the violence by Boko Haram has led to calls on the government to clamp down on them.