Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin
The Boko Haram fightes have relocated from Sambisa forest to establish a new base in Bauchi state, a senator told the Daily Trust yesterday.
Senator Isa Hamma Misau (APC, Bauchi Central) said the insurgents were relocating to the area from Sambisa Forest.
Hamma Misau, a retired Police officer, told the newspaper that Boko Haram fighters are establishing themselves in Burra Forest in Ningi Emirate Council of his constituency.
He explained that the Burra forest is linked through a corridor to the Falgore Forrest in Kano state and Saminaka in Kaduna State.
“The Boko Haram insurgents are relocating to the Burra Forest. It is a very large forest extending to three states and it is from there that the terrorists are going to other places to unleash terror on people.
“It was because of their activities that a new Police division was opened in Burra but the police cannot carry out operation in the forest because it is a high risk operation.
“They kidnap people daily, and receive between N3million and N5million as ransom,” he said.
The senator said the terrorists told their victims that they relocated from the Sambisa Forest, the hotbed of the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno state.
“They also said the terrorists are in hundreds and that they coordinate their operations from the forest,” he said.
“They have collected so much money from the people but because the place is in remote area, it has not been given national prominence.
“The people are highly sophisticated, and to tackle them, we need serious surveillance, intelligence and equipment.”
Senator Misua said when the Senate reconvenes next month he would sponsor a motion with a view to attracting the attention of the security agencies to the ugly development.
“I’m going to write to the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Army Staff and the Director of DSS for them to intervene. There is need for combined efforts of all security agencies in order to tackle the terrorists,” he added.
The Defence Headquarters yesterday confirmed that Boko Haram militants who had been dislodged from Borno state were relocating to other forests and hide outs in the country.
The defence spokesman, Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar confirmed this yesterday when contacted over the alarm raised by senator Misau. But he assured Nigerians that the military will flush them out.
He said: “It is not out of place if the terrorists are relocating because of ongoing operations by the military and equally because of operations of the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
“However, wherever they go, the military, with other security agencies will intercept them. The next phase of the operations will take care of them.”
Abubakar added: “The inhabitants of that general area should be on the lookout of new persons and cooperate with security agencies. They are fleeing not only to Bauchi but other place.”
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