The National Economic Council (NEC) has warned that Boko Haram insurgents are waxing stronger in the North-east, adding that the terror group has captured five local government areas in Yobe and Borno States.
Briefing State House correspondents after its meeting yesterday in Abuja, the council said the occupation of the five local government councils was confirmed by the Governors of Yobe and Borno States — Ibrahim Gaidam and Kashim Shettima — respectively.
They also informed the NEC that the insurgents were still hiding in Sambisa forest, the stronghold of Boko Haram insurgents, and called for increased military deployment and provision of sophisticated military equipment in those areas.
The disclosure was a disappointing departure from the accomplishments of the Nigerian military and the neighbouring armies of Chad, Cameroun and Niger, which recaptured all the territories occupied by the sect and had the insurgents on the run before former President Goodluck Jonathan handed over to President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29.
Since Buhari, a retired military general who has sworn to defeat Boko Haram assumed office, the sect has stepped up attacks in the North-east and is estimated to have killed more than 600 people in less than two months.
