Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has raised the alarm, alleging that some politicians and military personnel are serving as informants for Boko Haram.
Speaking during an interview on Breakfast Central on News Central TV, Zulum said the government would not hesitate to deal “ruthlessly” with those aiding the insurgents.
“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 criticized what he called “contractocracy” and stressed the need for a complete shift in approach.
“Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity,” he said.
On the controversial issue of surrendered Boko Haram fighters, Zulum admitted that while not all of them may have genuinely repented, the vast majority are no longer involved in terrorism.
“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.
Zulum emphasized the importance of combining military efforts with social, political, and economic strategies, warning that force alone cannot end insurgency.
“Insurgency will never be ended by kinetic measures alone,” he said. “We must ensure that non-kinetic measures are also properly put in place.
“What I mean by non-kinetic measures is social, political, and economic dimensions of the crisis. Our ongoing non-kinetic measures have yielded positive results with the support of the Nigerian military.”
The governor acknowledged that among the over 500,000 who have reportedly surrendered, a few may relapse.
“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 said.
Zulum also expressed concern that insurgents appear to have a technological edge and pointed out the military’s lack of sufficient equipment.
“The army doesn’t have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgency,” he said.
Despite the challenges, Zulum commended the Nigerian armed forces for supporting the state’s non-kinetic efforts.
“I want to commend the Nigerian armed forces for the support that they have been rendering to our non-kinetic measures,” he added.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to rely on credible, ground-level intelligence and professional military advice in the fight against terrorism.
“The forest guard shall be provided immediately,” Zulum stated. “The President of Nigeria needs to listen to those who can differentiate their left from their right.
“We should not politicise insecurity. The President needs to listen to the people who can tell him the right thing. The President should listen to the army.”
