Yobe State Governor Mala Buni has said they are in a difficult situation as a result of attacks by Boko Haram militants that have rocked them since last Friday.
Mai Mala said everyone was aware of the situation in northeastern Nigeria, but the current attacks were alarming and needed to be addressed.
In an interview with the BBC Hausa service, the governor said in the past everything was easier but this time it was worse, because the motives of the militants were unknown, and their arrival at this time was different from what had been seen before.
The governor’s remarks come amid widespread speculation that he has not been heard from since the militants began killing and forcing hundreds to flee.
Hundreds say they fled to avoid being caught in the crossfire between the Nigerian army and Boko Haram militants, although many say several people have been killed.
However, the governor told the BBC that he was not folding his arms amid the attacks, saying he has been in talks with security officers in Abuja to find a solution.
He said, “Militants often come in and loot food and property, but during this time they stay in the city for days. The people of the town were plunged into chaos and a state of unrest, forcing them to flee to seek refuge in neighboring towns.
“I am in talks with the Nigerian security chief to find a way to contain the militants, and now the town is back under the control of the security forces,” said Mai Mala Buni.
But the governor expressed concern, saying at the state level they could work to ease the situation.
Boko Haram has recently intensified its attacks in Geidam and other towns in northeastern Nigeria.
Among those killed in Friday’s clashes was a woman who died as a result of a rocket fired at her mother-in-law’s house, where she was visiting Geidam.
Sources said the militants also looted several shops and large quantities of food.
Fighting also broke out between Boko Haram militants and the military in the neighboring town of Mainok in Borno State, with some reports saying the attack hit some soldiers.
The online newspaper PRNigeria reports that the military has disrupted the Boko Haram insurgency in Mainok by firing indiscriminately.
A separate source said some soldiers had been killed and their equipment stolen.
The spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General Muhammad Yarima, according to reports did not speak to the press.
Nigeria’s security situation is deteriorating, which has led some observers to fear for the country’s future, especially over allegations that the country’s military is facing a shortage of weapons and militants.
