Nigeria's Borno state leader says Boko Haram fighters are coming back. They attacked many places and took over parts of his state in the northeast. He asked for more help for the soldiers fighting these armed groups.
The Nigerian leaders disagree with him. They claim safety has gotten better during the last year and a half. But Borno has suffered from these attacks for 15 years. The fighting made more than two million people leave their homes. It also killed over 40,000 people.
Boko Haram was strongest in 2015. Back then, they ruled big areas in Borno state until soldiers pushed them away. The group became famous around the world when they took more than 270 girls from a school in Chibok, also in Borno. Earlier this year, a group that broke off from Boko Haram, called Islamic State West Africa Province, attacked and killed about 20 Nigerian soldiers. They also killed 40 farmers around the same time.
The state leader feels sad because these groups attack and take people from many towns almost every day. He told national safety officials that Borno State was losing ground against these fighters. People who study safety issues say fewer soldiers are fighting Boko Haram in Borno and nearby places. Many soldiers went to northwest Nigeria instead to stop robbers and kidnappers there.
Someone else who studies these problems told BBC that beating Boko Haram would not be easy but can happen. He said that no matter how much our army weakened them, they could always come together again and stay dangerous. The answer would be to beat all the fighters completely, which can happen if our army gets the right help.
The Nigerian leaders disagree with him. They claim safety has gotten better during the last year and a half. But Borno has suffered from these attacks for 15 years. The fighting made more than two million people leave their homes. It also killed over 40,000 people.
Boko Haram was strongest in 2015. Back then, they ruled big areas in Borno state until soldiers pushed them away. The group became famous around the world when they took more than 270 girls from a school in Chibok, also in Borno. Earlier this year, a group that broke off from Boko Haram, called Islamic State West Africa Province, attacked and killed about 20 Nigerian soldiers. They also killed 40 farmers around the same time.
The state leader feels sad because these groups attack and take people from many towns almost every day. He told national safety officials that Borno State was losing ground against these fighters. People who study safety issues say fewer soldiers are fighting Boko Haram in Borno and nearby places. Many soldiers went to northwest Nigeria instead to stop robbers and kidnappers there.
Someone else who studies these problems told BBC that beating Boko Haram would not be easy but can happen. He said that no matter how much our army weakened them, they could always come together again and stay dangerous. The answer would be to beat all the fighters completely, which can happen if our army gets the right help.
