The Federal Government has described Borno as Nigeria’s most resilient state despite recurring violent attacks.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made the remark on Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the state’s Deputy Governor, Umar Kadafur, in Maiduguri.
His visit formed part of activities lined up for the meeting of the APC Commissioners of Information Forum.
Borno, located in the North-East, shares boundaries with Yobe to the west, Gombe to the southwest, and Adamawa to the south, and is the only Nigerian state bordering three countries — Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
Named after the historic Borno Emirate, the North-East state, created in 1976, has grappled with the effects of insurgency since the rise of Boko Haram in 2002.
Some of the impacts of the activities of Boko Haram and other splinter cells from the dreaded terrorists group include killing and displacement of residents of the state, health challenges, destruction of schools, government and private properties across the state.
Recently, the state has also been hit by flooding which left several communities and households devastated.
However, while speaking in Maiduguri, Idris stated that Borno State has truly mastered the art of surmounting challenges.
“Borno State is clearly Nigeria’s most resilient state, against the backdrop of the severe challenges it has experienced in the last decade,” Idris said.
He further noted that the people of Borno State deserve commendation from all Nigerians for their resilience and remarkable ability to recover from difficult situations.
“The people of Borno State symbolise the strength and the staying power that Nigerians are imbued with, and it is therefore appropriate for all other Nigerians to not only praise the citizens of the state, but speak proudly of their ability to overcome challenges,” Idris added.