Troops of the Nigerian Army, yesterday, landed in the dreaded and expansive Sambisa forest to reclaim the enclave from Boko Haram insurgents and possibly find and rescue the remaining abducted Chibok girls from the terrorists, ThisDay reports.
It was gathered that the operation to liberate the terrorists’ stronghold may not last beyond a week as most of the strikes and special operations have already knocked out the enemy defence systems.
A military source squealed that the continued aerial bombardment by the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, for weeks, have now made it possible for the Army to move in yesterday for ground operation, adding that “The operation is nearing its conclusion and the Army will be moving in tomorrow (today) and I am sure in a matter of days, if plans goes accordingly, the operations will be over.
“The Air Force have been bombarding the area for weeks now and with the right kind of weapon, the Army is ready for the final onslaught,” said the source.
It was confirmed that although no concrete evidence exists as to whether the Chibok girls were in the forest, it will however be the top priority of the military to find and rescue them if that should be the reality.
In the words of the insider, “The fear is that some of the girls might be amongst the women killed in Bama and other parts of the liberated towns, and Sambisa offers the more viable hope of all the remaining options to rescue the girls”.
It will be recalled that the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lt-Gen. Kenneth Minimah had told journalists recently in Abuja that with the expected recapture of the Sambisa forest, the Chibok girls, whose whereabout he admitted not knowing, might be rescued.
“Yes, by the time we capture Sambisa forest completely, we will be able to find out where the Chibok girls are. Because as it is now, anybody you ask, they will say they did not see them, they are not here, they are not there. But when we capture Sambisa forest, we will be able to know where they are and government will take it up from there”, he assured.
DAILY POST reports that the Nigerian Military have within the last eight weeks of sustained offensive, recaptured over 90 per cent of the territories that were once under Boko Haram occupation with the exception of Sambisa forest.
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