Terrorists Relocate to New Places After US Air Strikes, Actual Location Reportedly Uncovered
- Suspected terrorists in northern Nigeria were reported to be relocating after US missile strikes disrupted their hideouts
- Community leaders and security sources confirmed movements of armed groups following the Christmas Day attacks
- The strikes, announced by President Donald Trump, sparked fresh concerns as bandits spread into new areas
There were indications that suspected terrorists in northern Nigeria had begun relocating following missile strikes carried out by the United States of America on the night of December 25.
Credible community leaders told Sunday PUNCH that they noticed movements as hoodlums migrated in small numbers after the Christmas Day attacks.
Source: Getty Images
President Donald Trump announced on December 25 that the US military had carried out deadly strikes against Islamic State terrorists in northwestern Nigeria. The Federal Government confirmed the strike, stating that it had given support to the US and that the attacks were directed at targeted areas being used by terrorists.
Officials reported that no casualties were recorded in the two locations struck. At Jabo, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, a missile hit farmland, while some buildings were affected in Offa, Kwara State.
Sokoto terrorists in disarray
Officials of Tangaza LGA in Sokoto State said additional missile strikes were carried out on suspected hideouts of the Lakurawa armed group in parts of the Sokoto axis. Although no deaths were reported, several residents sustained injuries, while properties worth millions of naira were destroyed in Offa.
Security sources and residents said the Christmas attacks had disrupted the operations of bandits and forced them out of their hideouts. Community leaders in Tangaza, Gudu and parts of Illela in Sokoto reported signs of dislocation and movement among armed groups since the strike.
Some leaders, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said bandits were seen moving in smaller numbers towards remote forest corridors, while others attempted crossing into neighbouring border communities to evade aerial and ground surveillance.
A community leader in Tangaza said the airstrike “sent a strong signal” and forced criminal elements to abandon familiar routes and camps. “People are cautious, but there is relief that their hideouts were hit,” he added.
Government officials in Sokoto State said intelligence assessments were ongoing to determine the direction and scale of bandit movement. A senior official explained that security agencies had been placed on alert to prevent terrorists from infiltrating safer communities, stressing that border patrols and joint operations with federal forces were being intensified to block escape routes.
Influx of bandits in Benue
The Chairman of the Traditional Council in Gwer West LGA of Benue State, Daniel Abomtse, raised the alarm over the influx of armed herders into some communities following the US strike.
Speaking to one of Sunday PUNCH’s correspondents on Saturday, the traditional ruler said he noticed the presence of armed herders in his domain. He said:
“I felt their movement in my local government as well as in Agatu LGA. They have been running away from Sokoto to coastal areas in Gwer West and Agatu with sophisticated arms and grazing openly. They are in my domain.”
While appreciating the US strike, Abomtse called on Trump to extend the operations to Benue, Kogi, Taraba, Niger and Plateau states.
“What President Trump has done is the best thing to have happened to the government of Nigeria. I commend him for dealing with the menace in the country, which began about 16 years ago,” he added.
Source: Getty Images
List of countries struck by US airstrikes in 2025
Legit.ng earlier reported that in 2025, the United States carried out a series of airstrikes under President Donald Trump, targeting strategic locations in Yemen, Iran, and Somalia. Each strike was tied to escalating regional tensions or counterterrorism efforts, marking a significant chapter in US foreign policy.
Source: Legit.ng
