The question is why did the builder not say a word about the forest throughout the years of the Boko Haram mayhem and why was it not demilitarised after it was abandoned?
TUE, JANUARY 17 2017-Boko Haram militants ran riots around the army at the onset of their onslaught on innocent souls in Nigeria in Sambisa forest. They even had their flags hoisted as a sign of territorial claim and dominance. They laid waste army tanks, armoured vehicles and trucks that ventured close. Those sent to fight within the ‘forest’ fled and AWOL once they got close. They had no clue why the forest in the first place was chosen as a base for the most feared terrorist organisation in West Africa. But witnesses say the men sensed there was something unique about the forest. Unfortunately, their commanders had no clue.
Boko Haram members easily walked in out of the forest, tracing their steps carefully to avoid any air or ground detection. It was easy for them to come out at will and raid surrounding villages for food, women and children. They had a well organised supply structure that meant that fuel, guns (particularly from France) could come in through the well protected routes unnoticed.
A litany of conspiracy theory and some proof, according to witnesses, was at the height of the insurgence, suggested to the security agencies which could have helped in their tactical approach to the forest, but all were ignored and dismissed as speculative. Others claimed that most of the officers that abandoned the fight had a whiff that the forest was set up in a tactical defensive nature. Those approaching could be seen easily but could not see what they were approaching.
But once President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015 and moved the military command headquarters to Maiduguri, the truth about the forest unravelled. Sambisa, the site located about 60 kilometres from Maiduguri in Borno State is not a forest. It was transformed from a games reserve into a tactical military training facility during the regime of one of Nigeria’s last military dictators. It was camouflaged by an already existing games reserve situated at the heart of the forest. The ex General needed a presidential national guard akin to Muammer Kaddafi’s in Libya and contracted military contractors to build a camp where these set of army elite corps would be trained to eventually help in his dream of a life-long presidency. The site was abandoned eventually when the leadership of the dictator fell to another military strong man.
Once that emerged, the army knew what to expect, prepared for it and went in more organised and with knowledge that they were confronting terrorists in dugouts, hiding behind drum shields and sand defences.
The question many ask is why did the builder not say a word about the forest throughout the years of the Boko Haram mayhem and why was it not demilitarised after it was abandoned? He had the map of the ‘forest’. He knew the strategic layout. He advised on the defences around the facility. He knows where the bunkers are. There were well organised military styled drum shields, well organised anti aircraft and armoured car trenches and shooting ranges. It was everything a military base.
According to our source President had no clue about Sambisa as a base established for that purpose, because It was established immediately after his time in office.
“Sambisa was a top secret project. Those who knew were those within the ex-president’s inner cabinet. Only those who had access to his bedroom and his wife’s bedroom knew the purpose for which it was built. It was a very closely guarded secret. So secret, it was tough for even the US intelligence or the British intelligence or any intelligence agency in the world to have known,” our source said.
