There are indications that suspected terrorists in the North are relocating following the missile attacks carried out by the United States of America on Thursday night.
Credible community leaders told Sunday PUNCH that they noticed movements as the hoodlums migrated in small numbers after the Christmas Day attacks.
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the US military carried out deadly strikes against Islamic State terrorists in northwestern Nigeria.
Confirming the strike, the Federal Government said it gave the US support and that the strikes were carried out on targeted areas being used by the terrorists.
However, no casualty was recorded in the two locations struck by the missiles.
At Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, a missile hit a farmland, while some buildings were affected in Offa, Kwara State.
Officials of Tangaza LGA in Sokoto State, however, said additional missile strikes were carried out on suspected hideouts of the Lakurawa armed group in parts of the Sokoto axis.
Although there were no deaths, several residents sustained injuries, while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.Although there were no deaths, several residents sustained injuries, while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in Offa.
Influx of bandits in Benue
The Chairman of the Traditional Council in Gwer West LGA of Benue State, Daniel Abomtse, raised the alarm over the influx of armed herders into some communities following the US strike.
Speaking to one of our correspondents on Saturday, the traditional ruler said he noticed the presence of armed herders in his domain.
He said, “I felt their movement in my local government as well as in Agatu LGA. They have been running away from Sokoto to coastal areas in Gwer West and Agatu with sophisticated arms and grazing openly. They are in my domain.”
While appreciating the US strike, Abomtse called on Trump to extend the operations to Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Niger and Plateau states.
Sokoto terrorists in disarray
Security sources and residents said the Christmas attacks had disrupted the operations of bandits and forced them out of their hideouts.
Community leaders in Tangaza, Gudu and parts of Illela in Sokoto told Sunday PUNCH that there had been signs of dislocation and movement among armed groups since the strike.
According to some of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity, some bandits were seen moving in smaller numbers towards remote forest corridors, while others were believed to have attempted crossing into neighbouring border communities to evade aerial and ground surveillance.
Sunday PUNCH learnt that the US had resumed surveillance operations in the Sambisa Forest, Borno State.
A Sahel-focused terrorism tracker, Brant Philip, disclosed this on X on Saturday, sharing flight-tracking data indicating that an aircraft was operating over Borno State.
According to the post, the aircraft identified was a Gulfstream V, a long-range business jet commonly modified for ISR missions.
