Boko Haram takes over Niger town 2 hours away from Abuja

Boko Haram terrorists have taken over a town in Niger State that's less than two hours drive from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

Niger governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, sounded a note of warning on Monday, April 26, 2021 when he met with over 3,000 villagers recently displaced from numerous communities by bandits and terrorists.

Bello said the Boko Haram fighters have planted their flag in Kaure, Shiroro Local Government Area of the state which is not that far from Abuja.

"I just heard that they've already hoisted their flag in Kaure, which means they've taken over the territory and this is what I have been engaging the federal government with and unfortunately it has now gotten to this stage that if care is not taken not even Abuja is safe," the governor said.

The governor lamented that wives of local residents have been taken over by members of the Islamic sect after their invasion.

He warned that all relevant stakeholders must unite to face the insecurity situation in the region before it gets even more out of hand.

Boko Haram has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions since its insurgency began in 2009, but the group has mostly been contained to the northeast region.

The sect, which has splintered into factions over the years, has not been successful with its expansion out of the region, but has launched isolated strikes.

The alarm raised by Bello on Monday is further proof of the sect's plans to spread its wave of violence across the country, despite the Federal Government's repeated hollow claims that it has been 'technically defeated'.