Snakes and bees have been doing what the Nigerian army could not – flush out Boko Haram Islamist fighters out of Sambisa Forest.
Boko Haram has been wreaking havoc on north-eastern Nigeria, kidnapping girls, raiding and killing villagers and detonating bombs in major cities. The group’s attacks have killed so many people in Africa’s most populous country.
But it seems the group is now losing the fight after attacks by snakes and bees have forced its desperate members to sneak into the city of Maiduguri, resulting to the capture of two Boko Haram gunmen by local volunteers. The captured terrorists said the incessant snake bites have forced them to change cause.
Vanguard newspaper quoted one of the suspects as saying snakes and bees have attacked and killed Boko Haram fighters. Kolo Mustapha said some terrorist fighters describe these attacks as “supernatural vengeance by the group’s victims.” Mustapha was caught as he tried to sneak back into town. “We have nowhere else to go. Our leaders have fled to Cameroon,” Mustapha said. He said the terror group had forced local youths to join its brutal terror campaign.
Also confessing was Umar Abor, another captured Boko Haram terrorist. “Almost all our comrades are leaving the Sambisa because of constant attacks by snakes and bees,” Vanguard quoted Abor as saying.
Nigerians have been rejoicing over what they believe is a supernatural vengeance attack on Boko Haram. They blame the group’s leaders of being responsible for their plague. Boko Haram fighters who have fled the forest are helping security forces recover weapon caches.
Meanwhile, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday broke his silence on Boko Haram attacks in north-eastern Nigeria.
“I have had to remain quiet about the continuing efforts by Nigeria’s military, police and investigators to find the girls,” President Jonathan writes on Washington Post. “I am deeply concerned, however, that my silence as we work to accomplish the task at hand is being misused by partisan critics to suggest inaction or even weakness,” he writes, affirming that his government and security forces will intensify their search for the girls until they are rescued.
“Since 2010, thousands of people have been killed, injured, abducted or forced by Boko Haram, which seeks to overwhelm the country and impose its ideology on all Nigerians. My government is determined to make that impossible. We will not succumb to the will of terrorists”.
Nigerian leader plans to push for UN-coordinated system for sharing intelligence”. Nigerian President, whose plans include putting in place an inter-country special agency tasked with tackling terrorism across the world, wants to make his demand during the UN General Assembly in September. .
“The abduction of our children cannot be seen as an isolated event. Terrorism knows no borders.”
Ends
Bravo great snakes in Nigeria! Go after evil Boko Haram, bite and kill them all.
What an interesting piece of news!
The toothless Jonathan thinks silence is golden. Shame on you.
Where is brother Bax? I hope he will not come with his dispute. Looks like he does not believe in supernatural issues.
Divine intervention.
Sister Alimatou Sarr…
I have no desire to take away your right to believe in the ” supernatural”,nor do I intend to dispute the “fact/fiction” of the “supernatural”…I prefer to look for logical and sensible explanation for the cause(s) of events,rather than believe in a “supernatural” explanation…
When I saw this story and the attempts to give it a “supernatural” explanation,though common sense tells me otherwise,I decided to search online about the Sambisa Forest and as I expected,there is a more sensible and logical explanation to the cause of events there than you would want me to believe…
Common sense (instantly) tells me that if Boko Haram chose Sambisa Forest as a hideout/sanctuary,they must have been confident that its inaccessible without difficulty…Meaning that the forest has escaped human interference…meaning also that the wildlife,particularly the versatile ones like rodents,insects and snakes,will flourish…
Having searched online,I now know that Sambisa Forest is a vast expanse of Savannah Vegetation,where big game like elephants and lions once roamed, that is almost inaccessible without machetes or cutlasses in some areas…
It is also described as a SNAKE INFESTED forest with some very poisonous ones…It is reported to have old military bunkers which are used by the terrorists…Infact,it is believed that two of the abducted girls have already died from snake bites,whilst about 11 are sick with suspected snake poisoning…Anybody with an elementary knowledge of snake habits,would stay away from an old military bunker in a snake infested forest…
Sister,you can hold onto your “supernatural” explanation but for,the intrusion of humans into the snakes’ domain,making them feel threatened,is what is causing the frequent and,I must point out, accidental snake attacks/bites…Leaving little room for a “supernatural” explanation,i’m afraid..
RAMADAN MUBARAK to all….
oops….meant to write, “……but for me,the intrusion of humans into the snakes’ domain…….”
I cannot agree more with you Bax, supernatural is deeply rooted in some of our brothers and sisters,its common sense man!