Gov Zulum Accuses Politicians, Security Agencies Of Colluding With Boko Haram

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has alleged that certain Nigerian politicians and members of the armed forces are acting as informants and collaborators for Boko Haram insurgents.

Zulum made the revelation during an interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central on Wednesday, where he vowed to strengthen the state’s intelligence network and deal with saboteurs “ruthlessly.”

“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,” Zulum stated.

The governor also called for a shift away from “contractocracy,” emphasising that within six months, the insurgency could be significantly reduced if the right measures were put in place.

He further stressed that insecurity should not be politicised.

“Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity,” Zulum said.

Addressing the issue of surrendered insurgents, Zulum acknowledged that while not all of them have fully reformed, the majority are contributing positively.

“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,” the governor stated.

He reaffirmed the importance of combining both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies in tackling insurgency, stressing that military force alone would not bring an end to the conflict.

Zulum reiterated his stance that insurgency cannot be defeated through military force alone. He emphasised the need for social, political, and economic solutions to complement military efforts.

“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 said.

He acknowledged that not all 500,000-plus repentant fighters might stay reformed, but believes the system is largely working.

“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 criticised the lack of necessary military equipment, claiming that insurgents had a technological advantage. He stated, “The army doesn’t have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgency.”

Despite these challenges, Zulum commended the Nigerian military for its support 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 added.

Zulum urged President Bola Tinubu to pay closer attention to ground-level intelligence and professional advice from the military.

“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.

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