Eastern Africa intelligence chiefs examining connection between Boko Haram, ADF

Intelligence chiefs from countries from Eastern Africa have resolved to start intelligence sharing in a bid to combat armed groups and their connection to terrorism.

Speaking during at the closing ceremony of a two day workshop for intelligence chiefs from Eastern Africa who are part of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA), Internal Security Organization (ISO) Director General, Col.Kaka Bagyenda said that with the availability technology, armed groups including terrorist organizations like Al Shabaab, ADF and Boko Haram in Africa have continued to be sophisticated becoming a more serious threat to the continent.

“With new technology like satellite phones and internet these groups are able to communicate swiftly, intercept weapons and also coordinate their activities across the continent,”Col.Kaka told participants.

“Countries need to work together to keep up with the emerging threats to security like armed groups.”

In an interview with journalists, the ISO boss said African countries need to go back to the old system of intelligence gathering and sharing if they are to remain safe and secure.

“If we are to fight criminality we must share information gathered about criminals," he said.

Asked to comment on whether there is a relationship between Boko Haram in West Africa and ADF in East Africa, he said this cannot be ruled out though there is not so much evidence to confirm it.

He said: “All are terrorist groups and cut across the continent and you cannot rule out the connection between their networks.”

The intelligence chiefs in the workshop also noted there is a possibility of the three terrorist groups sharing training camps, weapons and other logistical support, a thing they said poses a threat to the entire continent.

“Of course these negative forces are organised and communicate among themselves so they don’t operate in isolation.

Our duty is to destroy their networks and cooperation,” Bagyenda said,

Commonly referred to as Boko Haram, the outfit is a Jihadist militant organisation based in northeastern Nigeria, Chad, Niger and northern Cameroon.

The Allied Democratic Forces was recently declared a terrorist organisation operates in North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The spy chiefs during the two day workshop discussed how to stop funding by bigger world terrorist organisations like Al Quaeda and Islamic State to African armed groups like Al Shabaab and ADF .

They agreed that these organisations use big ungoverned territories and uncontrolled natural resources like in North Kivu to set up bases and also further their activities including human trafficking from which they get funds.

The intelligence chief emphasised the need to work together through information sharing to be able to break these networks.