'Boko Haram still control 2 local governments in Nigeria,’ Minister says

Nigeria’s Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali has said that terrorist sect, Boko Haram is still in control of two local government areas in the North-East of the country.

Dan-Ali made the disclosure on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, while speaking to Voice of America.

“Within one year, the coming of our president has changed the game. Look at what was happening before whereby three states, the whole eastern region, was under the terrorists. Now we may have maybe two local governments,” he said.

“We have been receiving specialized training and intelligence sharing. If you can remember, my president has been going around.

In the fact, the five neighbours, including Cameroon, Chad, Benin… we are all working together and we are sharing information, and the international community is also advising us in the right direction,” Ali added.

The minister’s comments contradict statements made by other government officials that the sect is no longer holding any territory in Nigeria.

“As the chief security officer of Borno State I can tell you authoritatively that no local government is under the occupation of Boko Haram,” Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima said while speaking to journalists on Monday, February 8, 2016 in Maiduguri.

Shettima was denying a comment made by Senator Baba Garbai that the sect was still in control of fifty percent of the state.

The claim that Boko Haram doesn’t hold any territory has also been countered by the commander of the U.S. Africa Command (USAFRICOM), David Rodriguez.