Shekau and his gang: control landmass equal to 3 Nigerian states

Over 20,000 square kilometres of territory in three North Eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, have now been annexed by Boko haram’s Islamic Caliphate. And the seized land by the reckoning of a Nigerian newspaper is larger than Imo, Abia and Ekiti states put together.

The Daily Trust said today that the Islamic Caliphate is about the size of Wales in the United Kingdom or the state of Maryland in the United States, and is bigger than Northern Ireland.

The Caliphate, with headquarters in Gwoza, covered ten local government areas, originally home to more than two million people.

The seized territory

The LGAs affected are Bama, Dikwa, Ngala, Kala-Balge and Gwoza in Borno; Madagali, Michika, Mubi North in Adamawa; as well as Gujba and Gulani in Yobe. The combined land mass of the occupied areas is 21,545.86 square kilometers.

In comparison, the combined land mass of Imo, Abia and Ekiti states is 18,203 square kilometres.

Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the Caliphate on Nigerian soil is believed to be holed up in his Sambisa Forest sanctuary,said Daily Trust.