Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has raised alarm over the involvement of certain Nigerian politicians and armed forces personnel in aiding Boko Haram insurgents.
Speaking on Wednesday, May 21, during an interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central, Zulum said the state government would intensify its intelligence efforts and deal decisively with internal saboteurs.
“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,” the governor said.
He stressed the need to move away from “contractocracy” and urged a sincere, non-political approach to tackling insecurity.
“Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity,” he said.
On the reintegration of surrendered Boko Haram fighters, Zulum noted that while not all are fully reformed, the vast majority have abandoned violence.
“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 reiterated that force alone cannot defeat insurgency, calling for a blend of military and non-military strategies.
“Insurgency will never be ended by kinetic measures alone. We must ensure that the non-kinetic measures are also properly put in place.
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“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,” he said.
While acknowledging that some among the 500,000-plus repentant insurgents may relapse, he maintained that the de-radicalisation programme is 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 stated.
Zulum also criticised the military’s lack of proper equipment, warning that insurgents currently enjoy a technological edge.
“The army doesn’t have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgency,” he said.
Despite these concerns, he praised the armed forces for backing the state’s peace efforts. “I want to commend the Nigerian armed forces for the support that they have been rendering to our non-kinetic measures,” Zulum added.
He urged President Bola Tinubu to rely on credible intelligence and seasoned military advice.
“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 said.