TheCable

Kashim Shettima, governor of Borno state, has described the Christmas of 2016 as the best he has witnessed since his assumption of office over five years ago.

Speaking at the reopening of some major highways in the state, Shettima said 2016 signalled “Nigeria’s year of victory and Borno year of hope and liberation’’.

The highways are Maiduguri-Gubio-Damasak and the Maiduguri-Monguno-Baga roads.

“I want start by declaring that since I became the governor of Borno state in over five years, this is the best Christmas season that I have ever witnessed,” he said.

“This is the best December we ever witnessed and the year 2016 is my best year so far as governor of Borno state. 2016, for me is Nigeria’s year of victory and Borno year of hope and resurrection.

“It is in 2016 that we began to have access to major roads like Gwoza, Bama, Dikwa,Monguno and Damasak, following their liberation by our gallant armed forces.

“It is in the year 2016 that major highways began to be reopened, it is in the year 2016 that we accelerated our major reconstruction of liberated cities.”

He also said not only were some of the Chibok abducted school girls recovered in the year, the country established its supremacy over the Sambisa forest, a stronghold of Boko Haram.

“It is in the year 2016 that we recovered some of our daughters abducted at Government Secondary School, Chibok in 2014,” he said.

“And fellow Nigerians, it is in the year 2016 that the Federal Republic of Nigeria established its supremacy over the Sambisa headquarters of the Boko Haram (terrorists).

“For the government and people of Borno that there is no better Christmas and New Year gift that is more precious than the conquering of Sambisa forest by our gallant armed forces.”