The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) said it has uncovered plans by the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) to launch recruitment drive in the coming months, through misinformation embedded with radicalisation programmes.

ISWAP, in 2016, pledged allegiance to the   Boko Haram terrorists group.

The MNJTF urged traditional, religious, community leaders and parents to closely monitor their wards to prevent them from being recruited by the terrorist organisation.

In to a statement by MNJTF’s spokesman, Colonel Timothy Antigha, yesterday, he said ISWAP’s last resort is misinformation and propaganda to retain its sponsors, supporters and also impress potential recruits.

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Antigha explained that ISWAP resorted to propaganda following its operational losses in the last couple of weeks.

He further explained that the terrorists, in series of falsehoods contained in Issue 185 of its NAL –NABA Magazine of June 7, claimed to have attacked locations in Nigeria and Niger Republic.

“These claims are misleading, untrue and should therefore be disregarded by the public. The reality is that, in an effort to shore up its waning influence in the Lake Chad area, ISWAP instigated some skirmishes which were all neutralised at heavy personnel and equipment costs. This can in no way justify the falsehoods contained in the ISWAP propaganda publication. In the light of the forgoing, it is important and urgent to warn the public that part of a recently discovered ISWAP deception plan is to continue on its current misinformation with the embedded radicalisation programme, as a prelude to launching a recruitment drive in the months to come.

“The ultimate aim is to find replacement among the population for the hundreds of terrorists killed by the MNJTF and national forces in the ongoing Operation Yancin Tafki,’’ Antigha said.