Sambisa

Sambisa Forest is a large woodland area in Borno State, northeastern Nigeria. It includes portions of the Sambisa Game Reserve and extends across parts of the Lake Chad Basin region. The forest is characterized by dense vegetation, thorn scrub, and varied terrain, and has historically served as a protected area for wildlife.

Since the 2000s, Sambisa has been associated with the Boko Haram insurgency. The group established camps and a command base within parts of the forest, using its remoteness as a sanctuary and training ground. During the height of the insurgency in the mid-2010s, reports described Sambisa as a stronghold for militants and a site for hostage-taking and clandestine operations. The abductions of schoolgirls from Chibok and other hostage episodes were linked by officials to areas within or around Sambisa.

Security operations conducted by Nigerian armed forces, often with regional partners, targeted camps and training sites in and around the forest. By the mid- to late-2010s, authorities claimed significant disruption of Boko Haram’s footprint in Sambisa, though independent confirmation varied and some militants reportedly persisted in scattered pockets.

Today, Sambisa remains a contested zone. Access is restricted due to ongoing security concerns, and the forest’s status reflects broader challenges in northeast Nigeria, including humanitarian displacement and conservation impacts. The site continues to figure in discussions of regional security, counterinsurgency, and post-conflict recovery.