Nigeria's army has so far failed to contain the insurgency during the state of emergency
Nigeria does not need the help of UN or African Union troops to take on Boko Haram, the country's national security adviser has told the BBC.
Sambo Dasuki said Nigeria, and its neighbours Niger, Chad and Cameroon, were in a "good shape to address the issue" of the Islamist insurgency.
He acknowledged the militants were a "real security threat" and said that close to 50% of Nigeria's army was now deployed to the north-east.
Boko Haram took up arms in 2009.
It says it is fighting to create an Islamic state.
Since the government declared a state of emergency 20 months ago in three north-eastern states to deal with the insurgency, the group has strengthened and now controls several towns, where it has declared a caliphate.
The militants gained worldwide notoriety after kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls in April last year - who have yet to be rescued.
- Founded in 2002, initially focused on opposing Western education - Boko Haram means "Western education is forbidden" in the Hausa language
- Launched military operations in 2009 to create Islamic state
- Thousands killed, mostly in north-eastern Nigeria - also attacked police and UN headquarters in capital, Abuja
- Abducted hundreds, including at least 200 schoolgirls
- Controls several north-eastern towns
- Launched attacks on Cameroon
Recently they have carried out raids into neighbouring Cameroon and this week Boko Haram's leader said his fighters had carried out the brutal attacks on the Nigerian town of Baga.
He said they had seized enough weapons from Baga's military base to "annihilate Nigeria".
Some reports said that as many as 2,000 people died in Baga but Nigeria's government has disputed this, putting the toll at 150.
Mr Dasuki told the BBC's Newsday programme the fact that so many of the country's security sources had been deployed to deal with the militants showed how seriously the situation was being taken.
Over the weekend, Chadian soldiers deployed to Cameroon's border with Nigeria to bolster security
However, several soldiers have complained about not being given enough weapons and working equipment to tackle Boko Haram.
Mr Dasuki has dismissed such criticisms, saying there were "cowards" within the armed forces who hampered the campaign against the insurgents.
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When asked if Nigeria needed outside help, he said "No", before saying it was an option to involve UN and AU forces, but regional partners were best placed to deal with the problem,
Nigerian soldiers currently make up the bulk of UN peacekeepers deployed to Africa, the security chief has said.
Correspondents say so far the regional fight against Boko Haram has been ineffectual.
Efforts to form a multinational force involving Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon have floundered.
However, following a meeting this week it was agreed that they would seek UN backing for the force - and move the headquarters from the captured town of Baga to Chad's capital, N'Djamena.
Over the weekend, Chadian soldiers deployed to Cameroon's border with Nigeria to help secure the porous border.
Photo Source: BBC
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