Dislodged Terrorists Now Moving To South-East, S’South— Security Experts Reveal
Security and intelligence operatives have raised concerns over the growing movement of terrorists from Nigeria’s troubled North-West region into parts of the South-East and South-South, following sustained military offensives in states such as Zamfara and Sokoto.
Sources within the security community revealed that several insurgent groups displaced by ongoing military operations have begun relocating through a network of forests, waterways and remote routes linking northern and southern Nigeria.
The sources, including a serving security official, a retired Army General and an operative of the Department of State Services (DSS), disclosed that many of the fleeing fighters are moving through Niger and Kogi states before finding their way into Anambra, Abia and Imo states, while some have reportedly advanced further into other parts of the country.
One senior security official explained that intelligence reports indicate that terrorists forced out of their traditional strongholds have been exploiting ungoverned forest areas to evade security forces.
“Many of these elements left Zamfara through extensive forest routes and have spread into several states. Intelligence suggests some of them may now be operating in places such as Imo and Abia, while others have been traced to areas in Ogun State,” the source said.
The official added that security agencies were also monitoring the activities of factions linked to extremist groups, including Ansaru.
“The Ansaru group, Sadiku, Masua and other factions have been identified in parts of Niger and Kwara states, as well as some areas in the South-West. Their operational capacity has been significantly weakened, and efforts are ongoing to track and eliminate the remaining cells,” he stated.
Providing insight into the routes being used by the insurgents, a retired Army General said the terrorists have increasingly relied on the Niger River corridor and surrounding forests in eastern Kogi State to move southward.
According to him, the waterways and forest belts stretching across several states provide strategic access points that allow criminal groups to avoid major highways and security checkpoints.
“The forest corridors connecting Zamfara, Benue, Niger and Kogi states have become important transit routes. From there, these groups can move towards states in the South-East and South-West, including Anambra, Ekiti and Ondo,” the retired military officer explained.
He described Kogi State as a critical junction in the movement of terrorists due to its geographical position and extensive network of forests and riverine communities.
“Kogi has effectively become a strategic crossing point. The terrain allows movement in different directions, making it useful for logistics, coordination and regrouping,” he said.
The retired General stressed that the terrorists frequently navigate through established cattle routes deep within forest areas, noting that pastoralists themselves remain victims of attacks by armed groups.
“These criminals often take advantage of old grazing and transhumance routes. It is important to clarify that herders are also victims of bandit attacks, as their cattle are frequently stolen and many of them are targeted by the same criminal networks,” he said.
He further identified Kogi and Kwara states as major convergence points from which terrorists can access southern regions through forest reserves and riverine terrain.
“The routes extend through areas connected to the Oyo National Park and the forested communities along the Niger River, particularly around Igalamela-Odolu and Ofu local government areas of Kogi State,” he added.
The retired officer also linked the current security challenges to the proliferation of illegal weapons in parts of Kogi State, alleging that arms distributed to criminal elements during previous political conflicts were never fully recovered.
“Kogi remains central to their operations. The state serves as a meeting point for planning and coordination. Unfortunately, weapons that found their way into the hands of criminal groups years ago were not completely retrieved. Some of those individuals have since aligned themselves with terrorist organisations,” he said.
He further claimed that security operations against insurgent networks have revealed the involvement of recruits from different parts of Kogi State, particularly from the Ebira and Igala-speaking areas.
The latest revelations come amid growing concerns among security experts that terrorist groups displaced by military pressure in the North-West may seek to establish new operational bases in other regions of the country, posing fresh security challenges for state authorities and security agencies.