Samori’s capture and Lake Chad’s occupation made the colonial army seem expendable

Evidence

Another reason why the Sudan was dismembered at this time was that earlier that year the army had finally captured Samori and completed the occupation of Lake Chad. Both feats rendered the presence of the colonial army somewhat superfluous, since it could now be argued that the Western Sudan was effectively “pacified.” — Alice L. Conklin, A Mission to Civilize_ The Republican…, 950