Following a United States military intervention in Nigeria, reports from local community leaders indicate that terrorists have begun to relocate across the northern regions of Nigeria to avoid further airstrikes.
This comes after the Christmas Day airstrikes authorized by U.S President Donald Trump struck suspected Islamic State-Sahel Province (ISSP) and Lakurawa enclaves.
Reports emerging on Sunday revealed that the airstrikes have triggered a significant tactical shift among the terrorists, with many of them now relocating.
Community leaders in the North raised alarms as they observed that terrorists had begun to relocate in small numbers to avoid detection.
According to Daniel Abomtse, Chairman of the Traditional Council in Gwer West LGA, Benue State, there has been a noticeable influx of armed groups into his domain.
Abomtse said these terrorists have begun to relocate from the shattered camps in Sokoto, moving toward the coastal and riverine areas of Agatu and Gwer West.
He said: “I felt their movement in my local government as well as in Agatu LGA. They have been running away from Sokoto to the coastal areas in Gwer West and Agatu with sophisticated arms and grazing openly. They are in my domain.”
While appreciating the U.S strike, Abomtse called on Trump to extend the operations to Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Niger, and Plateau states.
“What President Trump has done is the best thing to have happened to the government of Nigeria. I commend him for dealing with the menace in the country, which began about 16 years ago,” he added.
Also, security sources and residents said the Christmas attacks had disrupted the operations of bandits and forced them out of their hideouts.
Community leaders in Tangaza, Gudu, and parts of Illela in Sokoto told the press that there had been signs of dislocation and movement among armed groups since the strike.
According to some of them, who spoke on condition of anonymity, some bandits were seen moving in smaller numbers towards remote forest corridors, while others were believed to have attempted crossing into neighbouring border communities to evade aerial and ground surveillance.
A community leader in Tangaza said the airstrike “sent a strong signal” and forced criminal elements to abandon familiar routes and camps.
“People are cautious, but there is relief that their hideouts were hit,” he added.
Speaking also on the development, a security analyst and Chief Executive Officer of Beacon Consulting, Kabiru Adamu, said fleeing terrorists might attempt to cohabit with law-abiding citizens.
Adamu, who hails from Sokoto, said the terrorists might also seek support from international terror groups and governments sympathetic to their cause.
Adamu said, “There is going to be dislocation after the US strike. The terrorists will leave known locations and most likely try to integrate with law-abiding communities.
“They will also spin a narrative that a Christian country, the United States, is attacking Muslims in Nigeria. They will not say they are terrorists but will use this to gather support or sympathy.
“They will seek support from other terror groups around the world, including membership, tactics, and funding. Nigeria may become a theatre of terror conflict as a result.
“Propaganda is another strategy they will adopt after the attacks, especially in cyberspace. They are likely to release fake news and propaganda materials to drive support and attract funding and membership.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass reports that this is coming after Trump announced on Thursday that the U.S military carried out deadly strikes against Islamic State terrorists in northwestern Nigeria.
Confirming the strike, the Federal Government said it gave the U.S support and that the strikes were carried out on targeted areas being used by the terrorists.
Officials of Tangaza LGA in Sokoto State, however, said additional missile strikes were carried out on suspected hideouts of the Lakurawa armed group in parts of the Sokoto axis.
