Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has claimed that some military officers and politicians are informants and collaborators for Boko Haram terrorists.
The governor stated this following resurgence in attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in his state.
Troops and residents of remote areas have fallen victims of the incessant attacks and killings by the terrorists.
Speaking in an interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central, Zulum vowed to deal ruthlessly with saboteurs frustrating the efforts of his administration in tackling insurgency in the state.
The governor also said his administration would strengthen its intelligence network to overcome terrorists and their saboteurs.
He said: “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.
“Insurgency will never end with kinetic measures alone, we must ensure that the non-kinetic measures are also put in place. What I mean by non-kinetic measures are socio-political and economic dimensions of the crisis.
“Let me tell you one very important thing, insurgency will never be ended by corrective measures alone. Among the 300,000 or more that have repented, I cannot rule out the possibility of a few of them going back to the bush.”
While criticizing the lack of equipment for the military, he accused insurgents of having a superior technological advantage.
“The army doesn’t have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgency,” he said.
The governor, however, commended the Nigerian military’s role in supporting 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 urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pay 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 stated.
Rival terrorist group killed 63 in Borno – Sen. Monguno
Chief Whip of the Senate, Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), on Wednesday disclosed that 63 residents of two communities in Borno North were killed last week following a rivalry between the Boko Haram insurgents and the ISWAP.
Monguno said the residents were killed for allegedly pledging their allegiance to one of the terrorist groups.
Contributing to a debate on a motion on Boko Haram resurgence in the North East, sponsored by Senator Aminu Abbas (Adamawa Central) during plenary, Senator Monguno said, “There is a resurgence of Boko Haram insurgency in the North East to the extent that they now attack our military formations, destroy them and cart away military equipment.”
The motion was co-sponsored by Senators Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central), Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South), Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (Gombe North), Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central) and many others.
Monguno said, “Last week, a military base in one of my local government areas, Baga in particular; in one of the communities, they massacred 23 people. In another community, they massacred 40 people.
“The main reasons they did that is that there is Boko Haram and there is ISWAP. So, the two communities, they allegedly gave their allegiance to one of the factions.
“So, the other faction came to the communities and queried them as to why they pledged their allegiance to another faction and massacred them. So there is a resurgence of Boko Haram activities in the North East.”
Reasons for resurgence of attacks, killings
Citing the reasons for the resurgence of attacks and killings of innocent Nigerians in the North East region, Monguno said the development is sequel to the redeployment of military hardwares and personnel to the North West to deal with security concerns in the region few years ago.
Stressing that the military is overstretched, the senator added that the rivalry between the Boko Haram and ISWAP is another reason for the renewed killings.
“As a result of banditry and avalanche of other security concerns across the nooks and crannies of the country, the Nigerian military is overstretched,” he said.
“Most of the military equipment and personnel were redeployed to the North West where we have the problem of banditry. So the Boko Haram now took advantage of the vacuum created by the redeployment of military hardware and soldiers to the North West to resume attacks in the North East.
“We have sat with the military chiefs and discussed what we are going to do. But this is not what I will discuss here in the public. But there is redeployment of soldiers to the North East as I speak. More military hardwares are being redeployed to nip in the bud the resurgence that we are now experiencing in the North East,” he added.
Similar alarms by Zulum
On October 6, 2024, the governor expressed grave concerns about the infiltration of Boko Haram insurgents into IDP camps, warning that the militants use these camps as hideouts after committing crimes.
The governor made the revelation during the resettlement of 3,800 displaced persons in Konduga LGA.
In June, 2023, he raised similar alarm over renewed attacks by the terrorists on farming communities within the state.
Zulum spoke during a condolence visit to five communities in Jere and Mafa LGAs where eight farmers and scavengers were brutally murdered.
Senate asks FG to establish military base in Hong LGA
Meanwhile, the Senate after a debate on the motion asked the federal government to establish a military base in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, following the resurgence of killings in the area.
The Senate also asked the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to provide relief materials to the affected communities to cushion the effect of the attacks.
Senator Abbas (Adamawa Central) in the motion said, “Frequent attacks in Hong have left thousands of residents homeless.”
He said the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in tbe North East, particularly in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States is worrisome, saying many innocent citizens have been killed and several others displaced.
During the debate, Senator Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), however, argued that the Senate does not have the constitutional powers to direct the establishment of a military base in any part of the country.
He said, “We are overstepping our boundaries. We are encroaching on the powers of the President. We should simply urge for appropriate actions on this.”
But opposing Dickson’s observation, Senator Wasiu Eshilokun Sanni (Lagos Central), said the Senate has the right to do so, arguing that any military formation has to be established by an Act of the National Assembly.
Weighing in on the matter, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said the establishment of any military base is a collaborative effort between the legislature and the executive.
The Senate, thereafter, resolved that the military base be established in Hong LGA to nip in the bud, the killings in the area. The red chamber equally directed NEMA to provide relief materials for the affected communities to cushion the effects of the attacks.
