Alarm as Dislodged Terrorists Shift Operations to South-East, South-South – Security Sources

Fresh security intelligence has raised concerns over the movement of terrorists displaced by sustained military offensives in northern Nigeria, with reports indicating that some insurgent groups are relocating to parts of the South-East and South-South regions through forest corridors and riverine routes.

Security and intelligence sources, including serving and retired security officials, disclosed that terrorists fleeing military pressure in Zamfara and Sokoto states have been exploiting interconnected forests stretching through Niger, Kogi and Anambra states to penetrate southern parts of the country.

According to the sources, the insurgents are using remote bush paths, cattle routes and waterways to evade security operations while establishing new operational networks.

A senior security official said some of the displaced fighters had moved through Niger and Kogi states into Anambra, with others reportedly advancing into Abia, Imo and even parts of the South-West.

“These terrorists started moving from Zamfara through forests and bush paths and may have ended up in several states, including Imo, Abia and even Ogun,” the source stated.

Another source, a retired Army General, identified Kogi State as a strategic transit and coordination hub for the insurgents, citing its geographical position and extensive forest networks linking northern and southern Nigeria.

“The forests connecting Zamfara, Benue, Niger and Kogi provide access to the South-East and South-West. Kogi has become a critical convergence point because of its location and terrain,” he explained.

The retired military officer noted that the terrorists often rely on cattle routes and traditional transhumance pathways hidden within forests to move personnel and logistics across regions.

Similarly, an officer of the Department of State Services (DSS) alleged that terrorist groups have established operational bases within forest corridors linking Kogi, Ekiti, Ondo and Edo states.

According to the officer, the migration pattern intensified following increased military pressure and international counterterrorism operations targeting insurgent strongholds in the North-West.

The intelligence source also warned that terrorist groups have increasingly adopted mass abductions as a strategic tool to secure the release of detained commanders.

“Their focus now is on large-scale kidnappings of schoolchildren and other vulnerable targets, which they hope to use as bargaining chips for prisoner exchanges,” the officer said.

Recent security concerns in Edo State appear to reflect these fears. Earlier this week, the Edo State Government ordered the closure of three secondary schools in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area following intelligence reports of a planned kidnap attack targeting students and staff.

However, security agencies and government officials in parts of the South-East have disputed claims that terrorists have successfully established camps within their territories.

A senior military officer attached to Anambra State’s security outfit, Agunechemba, insisted that the region remains hostile terrain for northern terrorist groups.

“To the best of my knowledge, there are no terrorist camps in the area. The South-East is not an easy environment for such groups to operate,” the officer said.

The spokesperson for Agunechemba, Nweke Nweke, acknowledged that security operatives had encountered kidnappers and armed criminal gangs in forests and border communities but said there was no intelligence confirming the migration of northern terrorists into the state.

He disclosed that joint operations involving the military, police, DSS and local security outfits had intensified surveillance across forests, highways and border communities to prevent infiltration.

In Imo State, the Police Command dismissed reports of terrorist camps, describing them as unsubstantiated claims.

Police spokesperson Henry Okoye said ongoing operations had significantly degraded criminal networks operating in forested areas, adding that security agencies were maintaining constant surveillance.

“We have been conducting regular raids and clearing operations in forests across the state. There is currently no evidence of terrorism or banditry as being alleged,” he stated.

Similarly, the Abia State Government said it had no intelligence indicating the presence of terrorists within the state but assured residents that security agencies remained alert to emerging threats.

The Security Adviser to Governor Alex Otti, MacDonald Uba, said authorities had put in place robust measures to prevent any infiltration and safeguard lives and property.

The latest intelligence reports highlight growing concerns over the evolving tactics of terrorist and bandit groups, as security agencies continue efforts to prevent the spread of insecurity beyond traditional conflict zones in northern Nigeria.