Nigerian governor says not intimidated by Boko Haram's threat

The governor of restive northeast Nigeria's Borno State on Monday said he was not intimidated by recent attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in some parts of the state.

Kashim Shettima told reporters in Bama, the second largest town in Borno after the state capital Maiduguri, that he is going ahead with the planned rebuilding of damaged buildings in the town in spite of recent attacks.

Shettima was reacting to the recent attacks by insurgents at the border villages of Logumani and Dara/Jamal, where an army officer and two soldiers were killed.

The governor, who relocated his office to Bama since last Wednesday to launch the reconstructions and renovation of over 2,500 destroyed houses, shops and public buildings in Bama in 2014, said the Boko Haram insurgents are merchants of fear.

"They are also vendors of fear. They want to instill fear in us," he told reporters.

"I think we should be stubborn enough to follow our convictions against the wanton destruction of lives and property not only in this state, but the entire affected sub-region of the country," he added.

The governor told reporters that the relocation of his office to Bama is an indication that the Boko Haram insurgents have already been defeated physically and psychologically.

Bama, one of the worst-hit towns by the Boko Haram insurgency, was liberated in 2015 by the military after being occupied for several months by the insurgents.

The Borno Environmental Protection Agency on Saturday began clearing and fumigation of northeast Bama town, recently liberated by the military to prepare ground for the return of the people.

Nigerian troops have routed terrorists from different towns and communities in northeast Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states in recent times.

With the massive military operations, the troops have also recovered several sophisticated weapons from the terrorists. Endit