ABUJA/MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Nigeria will
require anyone moving through three northeastern states to carry
identification cards in an effort to root out members of Boko
Haram and Islamic State, the army said on Sunday.
The new requirement follows credible information that
members of the two militant groups were hiding among civilians
in the towns and villages of the states, an army statement said.
The army said it would "strictly check" the identification
cards of those moving or passing through the states of Adamawa,
Borno and Yobe.
Those found without identification would "attract further
scrutiny and comprehensive investigation to determine his or her
activities with the insurgents or otherwise", it said.
Last week, the army forced non-profit Action Against Hunger
to close its office in the region, accusing it of aiding groups
such as Boko Haram and Islamic State by providing members with
food and medicine. The decade-long insurgency led by Islamist militant group
Boko Haram has killed some 30,000 people and forced more than 2
million to flee their homes. Islamic State in West Africa (ISWA)
split from Boko Haram in 2016.