Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu yesterday said the notorious leader of the radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau started his 'ministry' in Mokwa, Niger, a few years ago.

Aliyu said this while receiving traders who paid him a courtesy visit at Government House, Minna.

He said Shekau and the group's spokesman, Abu Kaka, suspected to have been killed by the Joint Task Force, were dislodged from Darul-Islam in Mokwa by security operatives in 2009.

He said the pictures of both Shekau and Kaka posted regularly on the sect's Website and published in newspapers were the same pictures the security agents had before the duo were dislodged from the state.

The governor said the proactive nature of the security agencies in the state and the support of the government had helped to dislodge them, "otherwise Niger would have been the headquarters of the sect."

He said it was necessary for all Nigerians to rise and oppose the activities of the sect, which had brought about negative effects on the economy.

"For any business to thrive it must be in a peaceful and secure environment.

"In view of the series of attacks on security men in the state capital, government will tighten security within and outside Minna," he said.

He urged members of the public to cooperate with the security operatives handling the exercise.

NAN