Nigeria is a far safer place than it was in 2015 when incumbent Muhammadu Buhari took over as president.

This is the view of Buhari's spokesperson, Garba Shehu, when he spoke on a local talk program aired on Channels Television.

According to Shehu, “As far as Boko Haram terrorism is concerned, Nigeria is a safer place today than it was in 2015 when he took power.

“New challenges have come up, farmers-herders clashes, and killings in certain sections of the country, much of those have been subdued.

“We have been confronted with the sabotage of oil installations in the south-south that have been managed effectively up to this point. Challenges of kidnapping and banditry have risen in so many parts of the country, including the southwest. Though the south-west is the safest part of the country.”

He admitted, however, that threats remained in the fight against terrorist groups that are uniting against the wider region.

"What we are seeing today is that the Boko Haram that we knew has virtually disappeared and has merged to a bigger threat – ISWAP that is funded and financed by the Libyan Army and alliances that have been formed including Iraq.

“This is a challenge not only to Nigeria, Lake Chad Basin but to the Sub-Saharan region, and the whole of West Africa is tackling this together.”