Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has raised serious concerns about the presence of Boko Haram informants within Nigeria’s political class and armed forces.
He made the revelation during an appearance on News Central’s Breakfast Central on Wednesday.
Zulum said the state would bolster its intelligence network and deal decisively with those sabotaging the counterinsurgency efforts.
“We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian armed forces, within the politicians, and within the communities. What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly.
“Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity,” he said.
Speaking on the issue of surrendered insurgents, the governor acknowledged that while total reformation isn’t guaranteed, most of the former fighters are no longer involved in terrorist activities.
“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,” Zulum said.
He emphasized that military efforts alone are insufficient to end insurgency, urging a balance of force and strategic development approaches.
“Insurgency will never be ended by kinetic measures alone. We must ensure that the 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.”
Zulum acknowledged the risk of some repentant insurgents returning to the battlefield but maintained that the reintegration strategy remains largely successful.
“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.
The governor also voiced frustration over the military’s lack of equipment, warning that insurgents possess superior technology.
“The army doesn’t have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgency.”
Despite these setbacks, he commended the military’s collaboration with the state in peace-building efforts.
“I want to commend the Nigerian armed forces for the support that they have been rendering to our non-kinetic measures,” Zulum said.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritize intelligence and professional military advice in managing national security.
“The forest guard shall be provided immediately. 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,” he stated.
