Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigerian president, has imposed a "state of emergency" in three states in an attempt to curb the increasingly violent attacks by armed group Boko Haram, saying the level of violence called for "extraordinary measures".
The decision comes after a spate of attacks on security forces and government targets by Boko Haram in its northeast stronghold this month.
In a televised statement on Tuesday, the president said, "I hereby declare a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states."
Jonathan said more troops would "immediately" be deployed to the areas.
He made a similar move in January 2012 following a spate of Boko Haram attacks, but in that case the decree only applied to specific local government areas in four states.
The president's declaration was being made "to restore public safety and security".
"They have been saying in the last few weeks that things are going well, that many Boko Haram fighters have surrendered, but clearly this decision to declare a state of emergency in these states and to send more troops there does seem to bring the success that the government have been talking about in to question."
Aljazeera Any source
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