Real reason Buhari backed out from Sambisa visit

As the Nigerian Army Small Arms Championship (NASAC) commenced today, indications have emerged as to why President Muhammadu Buhari backed out of a visit to the dreaded Sambisa Forest, venue of the competition.

Earlier, the Chief of Training and Operations, Army, Major General David Amadu, had during a press briefing on Friday in Maiduguri to kick-start the NASAC 2017 championship, said the championship would be formally declared open by the President on Monday, March 27, 2017.

But Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, announcement on Saturday when he arrived in Maiduguri to join in the preparations for the event, that the president will now be represented at the event by the Minister of Defense, Alhaji Dan-Ali.

Although no reason was given for the change of plans, Ripples Nigeria gathered that it may have been due to concerns over security of the president within the dreaded forest which the military claims to have recovered from the terrorist.

Read also:  Buhari backs out from Monday’s visit to Sambisa Forest

Sources within the Army, revealed that parts of the Sambisa forest are still unsafe– months after the Army declared its capturing of Camp Zairo, the operating base of the Boko Haram insurgents inside the forest.

“Days ago, soldiers sent to go comb the area, so that the president and top Army officers can have a safer ground, ran into mines and about four of them died and others wounded,” a source said.

Another source maintained that, the president wouldn’t have been exposed to the seeming insecurity around the range.

“Even the Chief of Army staff may have to fly helicopter to and fro because those insurgents are still hiding around, burying IEDs on that road”, the source insisted.

Earlier, a statement from the Army had urged residents of Borno State not to panic as their safety and well-being will continue to be guaranteed.

The statement, calling on the general public to remain on high alert and be security conscious, said that insurgents fleeing from military operations in the North East have started infiltrating and hibernate amidst innocent citizens in some communities.

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