Sambisa Forest is Now Locked down, Says Military

Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri

The Nigerian military wednesday said the feared enclave of the Boko Haram terrorists, Sambisa Forest, had been demystified and the insurgent group still trapped in the hideouts cannot come out to launch attack on the rest of the nation.

Addressing a press conference to highlights the successes of the Nigerian troops against the Boko Haram insurgents in recent weeks, the Commander of the counter-insurgency operation in the North-east, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, said the forest is completely surrounded by the Nigerian troops and there is no escape for any insurgents still holed inside.

Irabor said it had become impossible for the insurgents still holed inside the Sambisa Forest to get out or for them to have access to civilization to get any supply.

He said the soldiers are only waiting for the insurgents holed up in the forest to surrender as life has become unbearable for them.

He said if they do not come out soon enough, the troops would move further into the forest to level it.
He, however, promised that there was no escape or any insurgent still trapped within the forest as the troops have taken position at all access route leading into and out of the forest.

Irabor said there was no truth in the story that the insurgents were fleeing from the forest to wreak havoc elsewhere, insisting that the only option for the insurgents is either to fight their way out or surrender.