The government of Nigeria has declared that anyone travelling in northeastern part of the country will have to carry an identity card.

This follows a military operation that seeks to hunt down members of the Boko Haram group and those of the Islamic State group in West Africa.

“Operation Positive Identification” follows “credible reports” that members of both militant groups are hiding among civilians in towns and villages in northern Nigeria.

According to the army, those who do not have identification documents will be thoroughly investigated to determine whether or not they have links to the insurgents.

Concerned states are Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.