Boko Harams camp Raided by Security Forces

It was gathered on Thursday that some of the 2000 troops deployed in the aftermath of the declaration of the president has begun an offensive in a bid to retake the territory seized by the Islamist insurgents by raiding camps in a game reserve in the state.

The Agence France Press (AFP) quoting a military source, said the troops raided the terrorists’ camps in the Sambisa Game Reserve, located in northern Borno, early on Wednesday to flush out members of the terrorist group who have killed about 4,000 people since 2009.

“The entire Nigerian military is involved in this operation, including the air force,” defence spokesman Brigadier General Chris Olukolade told AFP. “Definitely, air strikes will be used when necessary,” he said.

A force of “several thousand” soldiers along with fighter jets and helicopter gunships have been deployed for the offensive in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States, he added.

While the military has vowed that the operation will “rid the nation’s border territories of terrorist bases,” there are doubts as to whether the security forces have the capacity to end the insurgency.