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Buhari urges troops to maintain tempo after capturing Sambisa Forest

By Terhemba Daka and Segun Olaniyi, Abuja 
25 December 2016   |   4:38 am
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, ‎who raided Boko Haram’s “last enclave” in Sambisa Forest on Friday, to maintain the tempo, crush the remnants of the insurgents and...

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, ‎who raided Boko Haram’s “last enclave” in Sambisa Forest on Friday, to maintain the tempo, crush the remnants of the insurgents and further seek, locate and free the remaining Chibok girls still being held in captivity.

About 270 girls were abducted in April 2014 from their school in Chibok, Borno State, where Boko Haram has waged a seven-year insurgency aimed at creating an Islamic State. Dozens escaped in the initial melee, but more than 200 girls remained missing until October, when 21 of the girls were freed following mediation by Switzerland and the International Red Cross.

The Nigerian military has in recent weeks been carrying out a large-scale offensive in the Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram’s vast northeastern woodland stronghold.

President Buhari who expressed delight after receiving news of the long-awaited “final crushing” of the insurgents at “Camp Zero”, located deep within the heart of Sambisa Forest, in a goodwill message to the troops, yesterday, urged them to maintain the tempo, by pursuing the terrorists and bringing them to justice.

The President who personally signed the message hailed the courage and resilience of the gallant troops, and called on Nigerians to cooperate and support the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies, by providing useful information that will expose all the terrorists hiding among the people.

“I was told by the Chief of Army Staff that the Camp fell at about 1:35pm on Friday, December 23, and that the terrorists are on the run, and no longer have a place to hide. I also want to congratulate and commend the able leadership of the Nigerian Army in particular and indeed, that of the Armed Forces in general, for making this possible.

Similarly, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, yesterday commended the Nigerian Armed Forces and President Muhammadu Buhari for the success of Operation Lafiya Dole in the notorious Sambisa Forest.

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