Oby Ezekwesili, a former education minister, has returned from our federal government guided tour of Sambisa Forest, the stronghold of Boko Haram with news that makes nonsense of President Muhammadu Buhari’s claims that the terrorist group had been defeated and routed from its operational
headquarters.
Ezekwesili, a co-founder of the Bring Back Our Girls group, on Monday, joined Lai Mohammed, and other top Nigerian government officials on what they called a “search for Chibok schoolgirls” onboard a Nigerian Airforce jet.
On Dr. Ezekwesili’s return, she gave a public account of her findings revealing that Sambisa Forest is 18 times the size of Lagos State, a former capital of the Nigeria and the country’s commercial nerve centre.
She also said that the Nigerian troops had not captured the entire forest and that more has to be done to capture the whole forest. “Capturing Camp Zero [operational headquarters of Boko Haram] is NOT equal to capturing Sambisa. I,” she tweeted.
She said that in view of the vast expanse of land called Sambisa, that there was more work to be done before victory is declared.
“Dreaded Sambisa is massive. Sixty thousand square kilometers. Eighteen times the size of Lagos State! All of Lagos is 3,345 square km,” Ezekwesili wrote on Twitter.
“Apparently, the Sambisa ‘general area’ as it’s called is some 85% of entire size of Borno State.”
“The famous Camp Zero in Sambisa? Well, it turns out that capturing Camp Zero is NOT equal to capturing Sambisa. It is just a spot in there.
“Capture of Camp Zero in Sambisa is akin to capturing the Capital City of a country. Camp Zero was the Capital SPOT of Boko Haram in Sambisa
“Capture of Camp Zero is significant but not cos of its SIZE. It is SIGNIFICANT because it USED TO BE the STRONGHOLD of the enemy in there.
“So, could our Chibok girls and other abducted citizens still [be] within the vast field of Sambisa other than Camp Zero? Yes. So, NAF searches on.”
“We came. We learned. Now we return. To stand! To demand!! #BringBackOurGirlsNowAndAlive! Thanks everyone at Nigerian Air Force for all we learned,” she concluded her message.
#DataMine:
Dreaded Sambisa is massive.
60, 000 square kilometers.
18 times the size of Lagos State!
All of Lagos is 3,345 square km.#BBOG— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 16, 2017
The famous Camp Zero in Sambisa? Well, it turns out that, capturing Camp Zero is NOT equal to capturing Sambisa. It is just a spot in there.
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 16, 2017
Capture of Camp Zero in Sambisa is akin to capturing the Capital City of a country. Camp Zero was the Capital SPOT of Boko Haram in Sambisa?
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 16, 2017
The famous Camp Zero in Sambisa? Well, it turns out that, capturing Camp Zero is NOT equal to capturing Sambisa. It is just a spot in there.
— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 16, 2017
We came.
We Learned.
Now WE Return.
TO STAND!
TO DEMAND!!#BringBackOurGirlsNowAndAlive!
Thanks everyone at @NigAirForce for all WE LEARNED📝— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 17, 2017
Buhari Declares Sambisa Forest Fallen
Late December 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari declared victory over the Islamist terrorist group after Nigerian troops announced that they have recaptured Sambisa forest after clearing Camp Zero, the base of the deadliest terrorist group in the world.
The Nigerian Army later presented the president with the flag belonging to the terrorist group in a “mission accomplished” ceremony.
Since the declaration a week ahead of Christmas Day 2016, Boko Haram has launched a number of deadly attacks in the North Eastern region of the country where the terrorists have murdered at least 50,000 since they began their campaign to establish an Islamic caliphate in the country.
