The Nigerian army has driven Boko Haram militants from the last camp in their Sambisa forest stronghold, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

“The terrorists are on the run and no longer have a place to hide,” Buhari said in a statement, reports the BBC.

The Islamists camp fell at 13:35 local time (12:35 GMT) on Friday, he added.

The army has been engaged for the last few weeks in a major offensive in the forest, a huge former colonial game reserve in north-eastern Borno state.

There has been speculation that some of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped in 2014 were being held in the forest.

Some of the abducted girls who escaped shortly after they were seized said they had been kept there.

The army has recaptured significant areas of territory previously controlled by Boko Haram since an offensive began in February.

BDST: 2139 HRS, DEC 24, 2016
SR