10,000 hunters seek clearance toconfront Boko Haram inSambisa Forest.

An estimated 10,000 local hunters from the
North-east of Nigeria gathered recently in
Adamawa State for their annual oath-taking
festival, known as Salala in the local parlance.

The hunters, dressed in their warfare attires,
and with their Dane guns dangling over their
shoulders, vowed to rid the society of
criminals.

They appealed to the government to make use
of their members in the fight against
terrorism and other social vices.

The leader of the hunters in Adamawa,
Muhammad Tola, who claimed the hunters
had so far played significant roles in the fight
against Boko Haram, said hunters were
familiar with the terrain in dreaded forests,
like the Sambisa forest.

“We are ready to pursue the terrorists
because we know the terrain very well,” Mr.
Tola said.

“We are appealing to the military authorities
to allow us join the fight against Boko Haram
at the Sambisa forest.”

Mr. Tola said the hunters needed the
government to assist them with ammunition,
transportation and logistics.

He said the government could also enlist
young hunters who were willing to join the
army, police, and other security agencies.

“We remain one big family devoid of religious
or tribal sentiments, that is why you can see
over 10,000 hunters from Taraba, Gombe,

Bauchi, Borno, Yoba and Adamawa converged
for this epoch-making event,” Mr. Tola said.

Female hunters also participated in the Salala
festival.

The leader of the female hunters, Aisha
Bakari Gombi, said securing the society was a
fight for everyone, irrespective of gender.

“This is a clarion call. We all must make
sacrifices,” she said.

Babangida Muhammad, the Sarkin Gida, who
represented the Paramount Ruler of
Adamawa, Muhammadu Mustapha, in the
festival, said there was need for government
to engage the services of the hunters and
other vigilantes in the fight against social
vices.

Hunters in Borno State had on January 3
called on the military to allow them join the
war against Boko Haram insurgents in the
dreaded Sambisa Forest.

“We are appealing to the military authorities
to allow us join the fight against Boko Haram
at the Sambisa forest,” Mai-Gana Mai-Durma,
the Borno Emir of the Hunters, made the
appeal in Maiduguri while addressing
journalists at the time.

“We are ready to pursue the terrorists
because we know the terrain very well.”

Mr. Mai-Durma said that the military should
align them with members of the vigilante
group, popularly known as the Civilian JTF,
for effective result.

“We will overrun Sambisa in partnership with
members of the civilian JTF if given the
opportunity,” he said.

The Adamawa State Government had in
November 2014 announced that it was
officially enlisting the services of local
hunters and vigilantes, called Civilian JTF, to
liberate communities captured by Boko
Haram insurgents.

Shortly afterwards the local hunters were
reported to have recaptured Maiha and Mubi
local governments, killing at least 75 Boko
Haram militants in the process.