Terrorists Displaced from North Now Infiltrating South-East and South-South Regions

Intelligence sources have disclosed that many of the terrorists who were displaced from Zamfara and Sokoto states have relocated to the South-East and South-South regions of the country. According to these sources, the terrorists have been using interconnected forest corridors and riverine routes that stretch through Niger, Kogi, and Anambra states to escape the military pressure in the North. These sources, which include a security chief, a retired Army General, and an officer of the Department of State Services, revealed that the terrorists have been migrating through Niger and Kogi states into Anambra, from where they move into Abia and Imo states, while others have pushed further south into other states. A security chief explained that the terrorists started moving from Zamfara, going through bushes and forests, and might have ended up in other states, including Imo and Abia. Some of these terrorists are even in Ogun State, according to the chief. The Ansaru group, Sadiku, Masua, and other groups are in Niger, Kwara, and some parts of the South-West, the source added, noting that they would soon be apprehended as they have been degraded. Explaining how the terrorists navigate their way to the southern regions, a retired Army General said the insurgents rely heavily on the Niger River corridor in the eastern part of Kogi State, particularly in Igala land, to cross into Anambra State and move onward to Imo and Abia. The General described Kogi as the intersecting point for terrorist movements, serving as a central point for logistics and coordination. The terrorists are guided by cattle paths in the bush, the General said, adding that they use the cattle routes in the forests because there is transhumance. A DSS officer confirmed the development, saying the pathways in the Niger forests link a massive web of states, including Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Oyo, Ondo, and Ekiti. The officer revealed that the terrorists have a command centre in Kogi where they train and strategise. Findings showed that Ose shares a direct boundary with the Owan area of Edo State, providing one of the most direct South-South linkages from the corridor. Further findings revealed that the Owerre-Ezukala/Ogbunike/Awka-Orlu axis between Anambra and Imo states features dense forests, deep valleys, and difficult terrain, making it a viable route for fleeing terrorists. Similarly, the Ihiala-Orlu-Okigwe corridor, connecting parts of Anambra and Imo, contains extensive vegetation and bush paths that provide natural cover. In Abia State, the Umunneochi-Isuikwuato axis, which lies close to the Imo and Anambra borders, is marked by hilly terrain and forested zones that connect directly to the broader South-East forest belt. The DSS source said the tactical migration into Edo State through the Ondo–Ose axis has already triggered defensive government measures. The Edo State Government recently ordered the immediate closure of three secondary schools in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area following intelligence reports of a planned kidnap attack targeting students. The affected institutions include Ososo Grammar School, Ososo Comprehensive High School, and Makeke Secondary School. The state government said the decision followed security advisories from relevant agencies warning of credible threats to the safety of students, teachers, and residents in parts of Akoko-Edo. Beyond the changing geography, the intelligence officer disclosed that the terrorists had fundamentally shifted their operational strategy from kidnapping for ransom to demanding high-profile prisoner swaps. Their target is the mass abduction of schoolchildren and other people, the officer said, to negotiate with the government for the release of their commanders who are either in prison or in the custody of security agencies. However, the source noted that the federal strategy had stiffened, saying the government is not going to bow to pressure because Nigeria and the US have signed a deal not to negotiate with terrorists. While intelligence reports indicate ongoing infiltration into the South-East, a top military officer attached to Anambra State’s security outfit, Udo Ga-Achi, said the region remains hostile terrain for northern terror groups. The officer cited local secessionist armed groups as an accidental buffer, saying the region is a no-go area for northern terrorists. The Indigenous People of Biafra and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, would actively resist any attempt by foreign insurgents to settle in local forests, the officer said. Meanwhile, the Anambra State security outfit, Agunechemba, said it had encountered suspected bandits, kidnappers, and other armed criminal groups operating in forests, riverine areas, and border communities across the state. However, the outfit said it had no intelligence suggesting that terrorists displaced from the northern part of the country were migrating through Anambra State into Abia and Imo states.