Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
The Nigerian military wednesday said “beyond Sambisa forest”, the Boko Haram terrorist group has no known base.
Addressing a press conference in Maiduguri, the head of the counter-insurgency operation in the North-east and Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irabor, said the Boko Haram insurgents were uprooted from their last known stronghold, Mallam Fatori on September 27, 2016.
Irabor said: “We have captured the Boko Haram last known strongholds of Abadam and Mallam Fatori, and we are now consolidating our holds.”
The military commander who lamented that the recapture of Mallam Fatori from the insurgency was not without a cost, as the military recorded human and material loses.
He said the troops are not jubilating yet as they are holding on strong to areas retrieved from the insurgents and battle ready to ward off any attack. According to him, the recent success of the military and the depletion of insurgency does not mean “we have heard the last from the insurgents.”
Irabor said there is ongoing battle to uproot the insurgents from Sambisa forest and finally put them to rest.
On the threats of undetonated improvised explosive devices (IEDs) still believed to be lying around in parts of the recaptured territories, he said: “We have made it impossible for insurgents to have access to roads that have been cleared of IEDs. We are taking delivery of equipments to identify and clear IEDs and we are going to immediately deploy them for use.”
