Many of the terrorists dislodged from Zamfara and Sokoto states have been relocating to the South-East and South-South regions, security and intelligence sources have revealed.

The insurgents, according to the sources, are utilising interconnected forest corridors and riverine routes stretching through Niger, Kogi, and Anambra states to escape military pressure in the North.

The sources, including a security chief, a retired Army General and an officer of the Department of State Services, said the terrorists were migrating through Niger and Kogi states into Anambra, from where they moved into Abia and Imo states, while others have pushed further south.

“These terrorists started moving from Zamfara; they went through the bushes and forests and might have ended up in other states, including Imo and Abia. Some are even in Ogun State,” a security chief disclosed.

“The Ansaru group, Sadiku, Masua and other groups are in Niger, Kwara and some parts of the South-West. Very soon, we are going to get them. They have been degraded,” the source added.

Kogi as centre point

Explaining how the terrorists are navigating their way to the southern regions, a retired Army General said the insurgents were heavily reliant 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 connecting links for these terrorists are the forests that network the North (Zamfara–Benue–Niger–Kogi) with the South-East and South-West: Anambra, Ekiti and Ondo states, to be specific,” the retired General said.

Describing Kogi as the intersecting point for terrorist movements, he said the state had been serving as a central point for logistics and coordination.

“The terrorists are guided by cattle paths in the bush; I am not saying they are herders because herders are also victims of banditry or terrorism. The bandits kill them and rustle their cattle. That is why you see herders moving with their cattle on major roads,” he said.

“So, they use the cattle routes in the forests because there is transhumance. The intersecting points are Kogi and Kwara. They connect to the South from those states through the Oyo National Park and the riverine and forested terrain along the Niger River in Igalamela-Odolu and Ofu Local Government Areas of Kogi.”

He added a political dimension to the security situation in the area, saying, “Kogi is central to their planning. It is like the centre point, maybe for convergence and strategy. Unfortunately, a former Kogi governor, who introduced violence in that area and armed some criminals, disbanded those boys. But the guns were not recovered. Some of those boys are now with the terror groups. That is why if some Boko Haram members are arrested today, you see a lot of boys from Kogi, particularly Ebira and the Igala area.”

Southern transit routes

A DSS officer who confirmed the development said the pathways in the Niger forests link a massive web of states, including Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti.

“They have a command centre in Kogi where they train and strategise. There is a forest in Kogi that links the Ikole/Ijero forest and the Ogbese Forest Reserve in Ekiti State. That forest also links Ose and Ikare in Ondo State. They gain access to Edo State through that route,” the officer said.

Findings showed that Ose shares a direct boundary with the Owan area of Edo State, which provides one of the most direct South-South linkages from the corridor.

Further findings also 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 terrorist presence in Edo

According to the DSS source, the tactical migration into Edo State through the Ondo–Ose axis has already triggered defensive government measures.

“Since the December 2025 US strikes on terrorists in Sokoto, the insurgents have spread across the country. They are already in Edo State; that was why the government had to shut schools,” the officer said.

On Wednesday, the Edo State Government 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.

Shift to mass abductions, prisoner swaps

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. They want to use that to negotiate with the government for the release of their commanders who are either in prison or in the custody of security agencies.

“The same group that kidnapped the Oyo schoolchildren and teachers is responsible for the kidnappings in Niger, Ekiti and Kwara. In the past, the government might have negotiated with the terrorists and facilitated the release of some of their commanders in exchange for the abducted victims.”

However, the source noted that federal strategy had stiffened, saying, “The government is not going to bow to pressure on the Oyo matter because Nigeria and the US have signed a deal not to negotiate with terrorists. We are also receiving foreign support for the rescue operation. We are closing in on the terrorists, and we will rescue those abducted,” he added.

The IPOB buffer paradox

While intelligence reports indicate ongoing infiltration into the South-East, a top military officer attached to Anambra State’s security outfit, Udo Ga-Achi, told Saturday PUNCH on condition of anonymity that the region remains hostile terrain for northern terror groups.

The officer cited local secessionist armed groups as an accidental buffer.

“To the best of my knowledge, there are no bandit camps in the area. We have dealt with all of them, and they have suffered heavy losses in personnel and equipment,” the military officer said.

He maintained that the region “is a no-go area” for northern terrorists, asserting that members of the proscribed 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 terrorists will not survive IPOB activities in the bush around here. The South-East is a no-go area for them,” the military officer said.

We’ve encountered bandits in Anambra forests, border communities — Agunechemba

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.

The outfit, however, 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.

The spokesperson for Agunechemba, Nweke Nweke, told Saturday PUNCH that the outfit had, during its operations, uncovered arms caches.

“Agunechemba has encountered bandits in various locations, including riverbanks, farmlands and other secluded areas across the state. I can assure you that we are maintaining vigilance across the state against any unforeseen development,” he said.

Nweke added that to prevent the infiltration of terrorists and armed bandits, the outfit had adopted a combination of strategic checkpoints, intelligence gathering and community-based vigilance.

According to him, the measures include joint operations involving the military, the police and the DSS, as well as targeted patrols along major highways and border communities.

“It is important to note that we are new to policing, but we will continue to collaborate with all federal security agencies to guarantee peace across the state,” he added.

We’ve combed forests, no terrorism, banditry — Imo police

However, the Imo State Police Command said there was no terrorism or banditry in the state, adding that the only terrorists in the state were IPOB and ESN members.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Henry Okoye, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH on Thursday, said he was aware of the report, which he described as propaganda about the presence of terrorists.

He said the command had been combing through bushes to flush out criminals.

Okoye also disclosed that some northerners masquerading as herders had been arrested in connection with kidnapping incidents in the state.

“For now, there is nothing like terrorism or banditry. There have been a lot of people spreading propaganda that they (terrorists) are in Imo. But I can assure the public that there is nothing like that.

“Following the directive of the Commissioner of Police, our DPOs have been embarking on continuous raids of forested areas within their areas of responsibility, in synergy with local vigilantes and community partners, and we have been able to clear our forests in Imo State.

“Yes, we have IPOB and ESN terrorists, and we have been doing our best to dislodge them from their camps. They have adopted a guerrilla-style strategy, so we have been chasing them. But as a result of the security strategy implemented by the Commissioner of Police, we have been able to reduce their criminal activities to the barest minimum in Imo State,” he said.

Okoye maintained that there had not been any abduction targeting schoolchildren in the state.

“There is nothing like the kidnapping of children in Imo. The only thing we see are pockets of kidnapping in some locations in the state. When we conduct thorough investigations, we find that, at times, the people involved are IPOB and ESN.

“At other times, we discover that some northerners masquerading as herders are involved. At other times, we discover that community members are involved,” he said.

We’re in control — Abia govt

The Abia State Government also said it was not aware of the presence of terrorists in any forest in the state, but stated that it was prepared to curtail any such threat.

The Security Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Security, MacDonald Uba, stated this while speaking with Saturday PUNCH on Friday, stressing that the state government had strategic plans to checkmate the infiltration of terrorists and keep the state safe.

“Abia State has successfully been warding off the encroachment of terrorists and will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the protection of lives and property in the state,” he said.

Similarly, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Maureen Chinaka, also said there was no presence of terrorists in the state.

She said the command had continued to implement sustainable security measures to keep the state safe.

“Our overt strategies include collaboration with sister security agencies in joint security and visibility patrols across the state, routine visits to schools, government infrastructure and public places,” Chinaka said. (Credit: Saturday PUNCH)

Update news