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Nigerian Army Arrests White Man In Sambisa Forest

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A white man has been reportedly arrested in Sambisa forest, the Nigerian Army says it as troops cleared the remnants of the Boko Haram insurgents.

According to daily trust, the build-up to the operation to storm Sambisa, the United States donated five mine detecting armoured vehicles to the Nigerian Armed Forces, which enabled the military to clear “thousands of improvised explosive devices” that laced the vast Sambisa Forest.

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Other powers like Germany also contributed “vital information and logistics” that led to the capture of the forest, sources said.

“The operation to took over Sambisa Forest did not start overnight,” one of the sources said.

Among other places, the Sambisa Forest had been used as fortress by the leader of the Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau and members of the Shura (Supreme Council) since 2003, after they were dislodged from Maiduguri and environs, shortly after the declaration of state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

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The source, a sniper, who returned to Maiduguri from the fringes of the liberated forest on Friday, said while hundreds of Boko Haram fighters were killed during the offensive that began about a month ago, many others were captured alive while attempting to flee.

He said: “A ‘white man’ was also arrested in the forest. “The man is under custody and providing positive information.

“Hundreds of Boko Haram captives, including men, women and children have been freed and taken to safety.

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“All I can tell you is that no big Boko Haram commander is alive in the Sambisa; we are in control of the forest.

“It took months of planning and mapping because of the size, difficult weather and other factors in the Sambisa Forest.”

The source told our correspondent that one of the major factors that delayed the takeover of the insurgents’ hideout was the thousands of people, including those living in villages around the vast forest that were being held as human shield by the Boko Haram leaders.

The big question is this, who is that white man, and what is his mission in Sambisa Forest?