21st May, 2025
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has raised fresh concerns over alleged internal sabotage in Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram, alleging that some politicians and military personnel are serving as informants to the insurgents.
Speaking during a live interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central on Wednesday, Zulum warned that the war against terrorism is being undermined by collaborators within the nation’s security and political systems.
“We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian armed forces, within the politicians, and within the communities,” the governor said.
“What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly.”
He described the situation as a major threat to national security and vowed that his administration would no longer tolerate such sabotage.
According to Zulum, there is an urgent need to break away from what he called “contractocracy” and focus on real solutions.
“Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity,” he added.
Zulum also addressed the issue of surrendered insurgents, acknowledging public skepticism but insisting that the reintegration efforts are largely successful.
“I cannot completely say that 100% of those people who have surrendered are doing the right thing, but I want to assure you that over 99% are doing well and are not participating in the ongoing terrorism,” he said.
He stressed the importance of combining military force with social and economic strategies, noting that purely military solutions are not enough to end insurgency.
“Insurgency will never be ended by kinetic measures alone. We must ensure that the non-kinetic measures are also properly put in place,” he said, highlighting positive outcomes from ongoing non-kinetic programs with the support of the military.
Despite the success of the deradicalization program, the governor admitted there could be some lapses. “Yes, I believe among the 500,000 or more that have repented, I cannot rule out the possibility of fewer of them going back to the bush,” he noted.
On military capacity, Zulum lamented the inadequate equipment available to troops, warning that insurgents now possess superior technology.
“The army doesn’t have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgency,” he said, while commending the armed forces for their continued support in peace-building efforts.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritise intelligence and expert military advice over political rhetoric.
“The forest guard shall be provided immediately. The President of Nigeria needs to listen to those who can differentiate their left from their right,” Zulum said.
“We should not politicise insecurity. The President should listen to the army.”
