NSA: Troops will clear Sambisa before May 29

The National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki yesterday said the military would recapture Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram’s fortress in Borno State before May 29.May 29 is President Goodluck Jonathan’s last day in office having lost the election to the opposition candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.PR-Nigeria, media consultants to the Security agencies, said the NSA gave the […]

The National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki yesterday said the military would recapture Sambisa Forest, Boko Haram’s fortress in Borno State before May 29.
May 29 is President Goodluck Jonathan’s last day in office having lost the election to the opposition candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.
PR-Nigeria, media consultants to the Security agencies, said the NSA gave the assurances on the one year anniversary of the abduction of 219 Chibok school girls.
Dasuki said the rescue of the abducted Chibok school girls was driving government’s efforts to recapture the Forest.
“Right now, all Boko Haram camps, except Sambisa Forest have been destroyed,” the NSA said.
“Every movement of the terrorists is being monitored and every necessary detail is being taken care of to rid the country of the last bastion of terrorists’ infestation,” he added.
He said government was concerned about the welfare of every single Nigerian including the girls.
 “Aside the Chibok girls, other Nigerian girls, boys, men and women were abducted by the terrorists and all efforts are being made to rescue them all,” he said
Dasuki recalled that before the elections were postponed in February, over 20 local governments were occupied by the insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
He said it was commendable that so much was achieved against insurgency within six weeks.
Meanwhile, members of Chibok community yesterday said their community was being haunted, traumatised  and  displaced since the girls were abducted one year ago.
They said their people are living in agony as refugees or internally displaced persons all over Nigeria and abroad.
Chairman of the Kibaku (Chibok) Area Development Association (KADA) Tsambido Hosea Abana, made the comment in Abuja during the one year commemoration of the abduction of school girls.
He said the insurgency had crippled farming activities in Chibok and that the area was now threatened by famine.
“Wanton destruction of foodstuff, granaries and livestock were perpetrated by insurgency. There is also poisoning and destruction of primary sources of water in the community.
“Despite what is happening in the community, we are still hopeful that our girls will come back alive”, he said.
“We are hoping that Mr President will keep his word by bringing the girls back alive before leaving office on 29th May 2015. Even if he fails to achieve it, we are hopeful that the President-elect will Bring Back Our Girls Alive.
“It is true that the girls are the victims, the parents and guardians are suffering the agony, trauma and pains, but the embarrassment is that of the government and the people of Nigeria, while the military suffered humiliation.
“We urged all to come together and find lasting solution to this saga so as to save our face as a country’ he added.
He said government and the Nigerian people should be ashamed the girls are still in out there at the mercy of the terrorists.
The chairman thanked the #BBOG group for its tenacity and consistency in advocating for the girls.
Daily Trust reports that various activities were held across the globe for the girls.
In New York, the Empire State Building lit in red and purple Tuesday night, April 14, as part of the efforts to bring attention to the missing Nigerian girls.
A group of activists in London also converged outside the Nigerian High Commission yesterday to mark the anniversary.
In Abuja, 219 young girls, representing each of the still missing schoolgirls, took part in a demonstration outside the Ministry of Education and other parts of Abuja to mark the anniversary.