The Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima, on Saturday in Maiduguri lamented that Boko Haram insurgency had inflicted damages in the North-East, to the tune of $9billion.

The Director, Information, Office of the Vice President, Mr Olusola Abiola, in a statement, said Shettima revealed this while inaugurating the distribution of palliatives in the North-East.

He also performed the official groundbreaking for the construction of the 22.5km Jere Bowl road network project, covering Jere and Mafa LGAs, in Borno, which coincided with the 8th meeting of the North-East Governors’ Forum.

According to the vice president, Borno alone had damages worth $6.8 billion. He said: ”Boko Haram insurgency had inflicted damages in the northeast, to the tune of $9 billion.

”There are similar destructions across Adamawa, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba. If Northeast of Nigeria was to be treated as a nation, we are poorer than Chad, Afghanistan, Niger.”

Shettima therefore called on the the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) to expand the scope of its interventions in the region, in order to cover more road projects, regardless of their status.

He added: ” I want to urge the NEDC board to expand the scope of its intervention to cover more road projects across the northeast region, including Gombe-Bauchi, Maiduguri-Damboa-Biu and Gujiba-Biu roads, among many others.

On the distribution of palliatives worth N15 billion to beneficiaries in 110 LGAs, and 18 Senatorial Districts across the region, Shettima reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to the welfare of the people.

The items to be distributed to beneficiaries across the zone includes; mats, variety of clothing materials for women and children, blankets, rice and vegetable oil, among others.