We Will Use Sambisa Forest As Training Base- Army Chief Burutai

Burutai

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, has announced that Sambisa forest would serve as training ground for personnel of the Nigerian Army as from 2017.

This followed the capture and final crushing of Boko Haram terrorists in their last enclave at “Camp Zero” by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole. Camp Zero is located deep within the heart of Sambisa Forest in Borno State. The Camp fell at about 1:35p.m. on Friday, December 23.


The over 200 Chibok schoolgirls were moved into the forest after their kidnap by Boko Haram members in April 2014.

Buratai made the disclosure in Damasak, Borno State, while celebrating Christmas with troops of 145 Battalion after the road leading to the town was reopened by Governor Kashim Shettima, three years after closure.

He said troops were already conducting a mop up operation in the forest after the last strong hold of the Boko Haram terrorists was captured. “We are also opening up roads to Sambisa and Alagarno forest.

Sambisa forest is going to be one of our training grounds. “I have already directed that we should conduct Nigerian Army small arms championship in that forest next year.

“And we are going to use it also to test fire our fighting vehicles, other key equipment and weapons that require testing whenever we want to induct new weapon and equipment into the Nigerian army inventory.

“It will afford us very good ground for basic tactics and indeed advance tactics, including but not limited to tactics at the Platoon, company, battalion, brigade and even division levels.

“We are going to make it more robust to make sure that these criminals do not come back to that forest again.”

Buratai charged troops in the North-East to pursue the fleeing Boko Haram terrorists and intercept them.

“You must maintain the momentum of the operation. We must pursue the terrorists wherever they are. We must not allow them to regroup,” the army chief said.