Troops rescue 293 girls, women from Sambisa forest
• Identities yet to be confirmed
NIGERIAN troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the Northeast have rescued no fewer than 200 girls and 93 women from Sambisa forest in Borno State.
Defence Headquarters, in a tweet yesterday, described the operation as ‘daring and precise,’ even as its men and officers continue to screen the women and girls to ascertain their origins.
“In a daring and precise operation, the Nigerian troops have stormed the Sambisa forest and rescued about 300 women and girls,” the tweet said.
The military also disclosed that three major terrorists camps were destroyed in the “well-coordinated attacks that include the destruction of the notorious Tokumbere camp in the Sambisa Forest.”
Director, Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, confirmed the operation, but did not state categorically whether, or not, the girls were from Chibok community in Borno State.
Since April last year, there have been intense campaigns in the traditional and social media for the rescue of the more than 200 girls, who were kidnapped by the Boko Haram members.
But Olukayode could not confirm the identity of the freed victims and their origins. According to him, their identities will be made public after thorough screening and proper investigations.
He said: “I can only confirm the rescue this afternoon of 200 girls and 93 women in different camps in the forest. We are yet to determine their origin, as all the freed persons are now being screened and profiled.
Please don’t misquote me on their origin. We will provide more details later.” Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col Sani Usman, in an electronic mail to The Guardian last night, described the feat as heart-warming.
“It is heartwarming to inform you that, today, troops continued the offensive and cleared four key terrorists camps in Sambisa forest, Borno State.
So far, they have destroyed and cleared Sassa, Tokumbere and two other camps in the general area of Alafa, all within the Sambisa forest. “The troops have also rescued 200 abducted girls (not Chibok girls) and 93 women. They are, at present, being processed. Similarly, a number of equipment and weapons have been captured.”
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14 Comments
Good going there! We should be proud of the Nigerian Armies accomplishment now that its got good leadership.
sorry to disappoint you that our military is now a regional weapon, I don’t believe in them anymore
Animals, the lot of them. I don’t care what they say, they’re all going to héll in a handbasket.
NIGERIA MILITARY IS A SHAME TO THE NATION FOR BEING A POLITICAL TOOL.. RESCUING THE GIRLS AFTER ELECTION IS JUST A JOKE, TRIBALISM, BETRAYAL OF OUR PEACEFUL COEXISTENT…. THEY ARE USED AS NORTHERN TOOLS,. THE MILITARY HEADS MUST FACE THE FULL WRATH OF THE LAW FOR BETRAYING THE NATION..
Something fishy going on. On the eve of handover the girls are rescued. All the military heads need to be investigated. We have known for a while that the Western countries all support ISIS and Boko Haram with financing. What non-government group in Nigeria has billions of Dollars except the boys in the creek and Boko Haram? They beheaded a Nigerian fighter pilot, bombed military barracks. They are now fearless.
My Dear Brother, we must tell ourselves the truth. It is not the Military alone, Buhari knows what he is doing. Look, no Terrorist will keep people of that number in one place. Look at the ease with which the rescue was carried out. Ninety minutes at Entebe was not as easy as that. Taking just one Osam was not as easy as that. All these talks about kidnap werent true. Arranged kidnap is what is playing out. If Jonathan had won this election, Buhari will not instruct his Terror group to leave the girls there and stay away. If these girls were kidnapped without political reasons and with intent to harm them, during every fight they will be used as shield by Boko Haram. The questions are—how do Boko Haram get money to feed them? For his period they were their, how do they take care of them medically? How big is the house where they were kept? Were kept all day and night in the cold and sun? Buhari knows more about the girls and only eternity will reveal more. Bhari knew there was no kidnap,Northern elders knew there was no kidnap, APC knew there was no kidnap,America, Britain,the so called mediator–Davies knew there was no kidnap. Davies came and created greater confusion by accusing innocent people of the brain behind Boko Haram. Everything was done to weaken GEJ more and more and to further discredict him and his Government. A criminal always makes a mistake that will lead to his arrest. The APC and Buhari’s mistake in addition to all those who masterminded this so called kidnap is that they should have dealyed the rescue till after handing over,but having done it now, GEJ takes the credit. During his Administration, the girls were found. Whether they are chibok or not,political quagmire,intellectual tuberculosis,conspiratory elephantiases. If they are not chibok girls, then there had never been chibok girls in the first place.If this rescue was arranged with Boko Haram as the so called kidnap was arranged, there would have been casualty. The German National that was kidnapped died in the cause of rescue. Bros, if this was a hostility kidnap,Boko Haram will not camp them in one place, infact, it is a great risk for them in their stratigy,it will affect them economically, finnancially and in many other ways. Only State Terrorism can bear such cost. What demand that is tangible did Boko Haram make in exchange for those girls? What are they doing with them?As Buhari arranged the so called attack on him in Kaduna and he came out walking round the scene of the purpoted attack, so the so called kidnap was arranged. we shall hear more.
I am not your brother and yes ISIS and Boko Haram were created by the Western countries to terrorize and destabilize a few countries of interest including Nigeria.
Calling you my brother is not in the sence of you being a brother to me as to associate with you in ideas and other area, but just a common term that can be used, for I know you are an ISIS AND A BOKOHARI.,hence no common interest.
Take your twisted lies to your family. No one is buying.
It is ONLY a very foolish government that will allow all you have opined above to happen when they have the power. That the government was scammed, if that is what happen, meant the government was useless and should NOT be there in the first place. CLUELESS, to be precise. Good radiance to bad rubbish government
If suddenly at this eleventh hour,Nigerian army grew strength and audacity overnight to venture into and comb through the sambisa forest,which they said they were retreating from due to landmines a few days back, then I think the whole truth is not being told.
My brother, the plan of the government and the military was to use all this rescue plan as the bounce to get the North to vote the government. But the Hausa’s are not as foolish as they thought, so it backfired. Now they are doing their jobs, that has giving them wide applause from the international communities. Wipe Boko haram, once and for all.
Most of you here are blinded by hatred and political affiliations.you people complained about anything this administration done or doing right. If this happened before election you haters will say its election propaganda. These military men initially lack weapons. There was so much delay in sorting that out including the house taking more than 6months to approved the finance needed to finally purchased weapons from Russia since all efforts to do business with America failed.
You people should swallow your pride and give credit to the military if not the president.
The military lacked weapons my butt. Where are all the votes that are appropriated to the military for the past 6years? Defense still gets the highest appropriation each year. The last time weapons were bought was by President Yar’adua. In the sorting out and house taking, more than 100,000 innocent persons were killed. Weapons they could not get in 6years, were procured in under 7weeks to election? Haba, how can we still be mumuing ourselves with all this politicians? Is it bcos GEJ is from the south? He allowed himself to be mumued by all those he “appointed” to work with him. When Obasanjo told him way back in 2012 to flush out all this boko haram people out, what did
GEJ say? He said he will allow the “rule of law” to prevail, abi no be so? If you have watched 24hrs, my brother, you will know that most of the time, u need to adapt ur tactics to that of the enemies in other to succeed. One of his spokeperson, Doyin Okupe, said they have sighted where the Chibok girls are being held BUT that they can’t just go bombing so as to prevent “colateral” damage, no be so? Now, GEJ has lost his re-election bid, no more colateral damage, Sambisa is being bombarded and we are seeing the result. GEJ followed the path of failure and he failed. Nobody should be blamed for his failure. As the Commander-in-chief, he is to blame, shikena
Abeg no forget ooo, BRINGBACKOURGIRLS, Alife. Tnx
We will review and take appropriate action.