The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Monday announced that Sambisa Forest in Borno State would serve as training ground for personnel of the Nigerian Army as from 2017.

Buratai said this in Damasak, Borno, while celebrating Christmas with troops of 145 Battalion after the road leading to the town was reopened by Gov. Kashim Shettima, three years after closure.

He said troops were already conducting a mop up operation in the forest after the last stronghold of the Boko Haram terrorists was captured.

The Army Chief said: “We are also opening up roads to Sambisa and Alagarno Forest. Sambisa Forest is going to be one of our training grounds.

“I have already directed that we should conduct Nigerian Army small arms championship in that forest next year.

“And we are going to use it also to test fire our fighting vehicles, other key equipment and weapons that requires testing whenever we want to induct new weapon and equipment into the Nigerian army inventory.

“It will afford us very good ground for basic tactics and indeed advance tactics, including but not limited to tactics at the Platoon, company, battalion, Brigade and even division levels.

“We are going to make it more robust to make sure that these criminals do not come back to that forest again.”

The gallant Nigerian troops of Operation Lafiya Dole have dismantled the official

Boko Haram flag at Parisu, Camp Zero, deep inside Sambisa Forest.

The troops on-going operations inside the Camp Zero signify the capture of the headquarters of the terrorists. Loyal troops took full control of the forest on Thursday, December 22, 2016, formally bringing an end to the seven-year insurgency by Boko Haram. (NAN/PRNigeria)

•Photo shows Nigerian troops of Operation Lafiya Dole dismantling the official Boko Haram flag at Parisu, Camp Zero, deep inside Sambisa Forest, to signify the capture of the headquarters of the terrorists.

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