Mallam Alifa Liman, a retired health worker, is becoming the anchor of a movement to get the Izalas of Bama Local Government Area (LGA), Borno State, to support polio eradication. His involvement started this February when the core trainer, Hajia Fanta Kachallah, explained the challenges of getting the Izalas to accept the oral polio vaccine (OPV). The Izalas or Jama’atu Bidi’a Wa’ikamatus Sunna (JIBWIS) are an influential Islamic group with a heavy presence in the state.

Liman’s initial target was the local mosque where he went to reason with those opposing the programme. He has used his membership of the social mobilization committee (SMC), to sensitize the community and the about 60 clients who patronize his medicine store daily, on the advantages of compliance. During the April round, he recruited Izala female mobilizers and by the May campaign, delivered on his promise to source all the female vaccinators required from the group. The results were much better.

At Gwoza LGA where coverage had been poor, Mallam Yusuf Mustapha Takwashe, deputy chairman of Ulamaa at the state Izala headquarters is making the difference. Takwashe after getting clearance from the Jos national headquarters, led a community meeting , and now involves 120 volunteers of the First Aid Group of Izalas in Pulka (North East region headquarters of the group) and 360 of them in the LGA, to follow sweep groups during rounds. The involvement of the First Aid Group which Takwashe heads in the LGA, has enhanced community confidence in the programme. Efforts by Izala leaders like Takwashe are in line with those of the Nigerian Aid Group of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) whose 91volunteers in Maiduguri monitor the activities of sweep groups and resolve non-compliance. Sa’idu Aliyu, State JNI Secretary and Sheikh Mohammed Ali, Director of the JNI Aid Group now spend time explaining to those of their members who still doubt the safety of OPV.

Local leaders of the Izalas are getting increasing support from the State Secretary, Mallam Baba Goni Abdul whose intervention was needed to get a prominent member of the Bama SMC to comply. Goni Abdul had himself been in the forefront of the resistance to the OPV which necessitated a February 25 meeting of Governor Ali Modu Sheriff with 15 key Islamic leaders. In order to stop doubts within the group, Goni Abdul and other leaders even sent a delegation to the Kano State governor to ask why he changed from his earlier stand on the safety of the vaccine. The governor explained to them that his earlier doubts were cleared after the vaccine was investigated.

The Izalas now use their network of schools for children, adults, married women and public preaching, to get more members to cooperate. Goni Abdul said the critics have been stopped from discussing such issues in public, while anti-OPV preaching is no more allowed in their mosques.

This change among the Borno Izalas is coming at a crucial time: two wild polio viruses have been isolated in Bama this year, and the leaders are saying “no more.”