Speech after speech, the top echelons of Nigeria’s political and business class, at the Taraba International Investment Summit in Jalingo, Taraba State, yesterday, loftily mouthed the need to boost investment in the country. In a sobering reality, however, away from the glitz, the governor of Nigeria’s most terrorism-stricken state delivered revelations challenging optimism about discussions.

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State accused certain military officers and politicians of acting as informants and collaborators for Boko Haram terrorists.

Speaking in an interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central programme, an infuriated Zulum vowed to deal ruthlessly with saboteurs undermining his administration’s efforts to tackle insurgency in the state, even as he said his government would strengthen its intelligence network to overcome terrorists and their collaborators.

“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,” the governor said.

He noted further: “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.” Also, Zulum criticised the military’s lack of equipment, accusing insurgents of having superior technological advantage.

“The army doesn’t have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgency,” he said. Nevertheless, he commended the Nigerian military for 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 added. He urged President Bola Tinubu to pay close 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.

The governor called for the removal of bureaucratic bottlenecks in the procurement of military equipment and appealed for national and subnational governments to pool resources.

“We must prioritise security. National and subnational governments must pool resources together to procure equipment. The army does not have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgency. Right now, the insurgents are using drones to fight soldiers on the ground.

“A few days ago, I visited the chief of army staff. He said he is looking for about 32 drones and he would end the insurgency.

“My plea is that let us deal with this matter decisively. The president of Nigeria should listen to those that can distinguish between the right and wrong. Those that can tell him the right thing and not sycophants. He needs to understand what is happening on the ground.

“A few days ago, I said there is an insurgency in Borno state. I commended the federal government for doing very well and that we should come together to resolve the issues.

“Some people said there is no insecurity in Borno state. We should not politicise insecurity,” Zulum said.
Senate president says some Boko Haram bandits are not Nigerians

This came as the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said some Boko Haram insurgents responsible for recent killings and destruction in parts of Nigeria are not Nigerian nationals.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday after discussions on a motion regarding the resurgence of Boko Haram activities in Hong and Gombi Local Councils, Adamawa State, and other North East states, Akpabio explained that insurgents often retreat to neighbouring countries to regroup before returning to carry out attacks, especially when they find security forces unprepared.

“From what the Chief Whip is describing, it will look like there must be continual vigilance because, like you said, any time the fight abates and they think that the military has relaxed, then they will carry them unawares by sporadic attacks.

“And when they are unprepared, they will end up losing lives. Our borders are very porous, so at any time they escape from Nigeria because some of them are not from Nigeria. They still find their way in at any time and cross into attacking our people,” Akpabio said.

The Senate urged the Federal Government to establish a military base in Hong Local Council to reinforce the existing personnel of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies.

While commending the performance of law enforcement agents, the Senate said the new military base would help prevent Boko Haram insurgency from spreading to wider communities in the North and beyond.

Stable business environment key to economic growth, says Atiku
Indeed, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, maintained that only a stable and secure business environment will attract investments and drive economic growth.

The opposition strongman, who was at the International Investment Summit, tagged ‘Taravest’, said Taraba’s economy has significant investment potential that can be optimised with the provision of a stable and secure investment climate.

He identified agriculture, solid minerals, and tourism as strategic sectors for the state’s development, urging the government to implement measures to address investment risks and eliminate bottlenecks.

“The government is urged to implement measures that will address investment risks and implement interventions, and eliminate bottlenecks.

“Peace, security, and stability in host communities are critical determinants of investment flows,” he said. Atiku highlighted the need for well-designed investment generation with clear goals, objectives, and strategies, alongside coherent and consistent policy measures.

He explained that efficient institutions are vital to improving infrastructure supply and quality and form the backbone of sustainable development.

“No Nigerian state has the necessary physical and financial space to independently drive growth and achieve sustainable development,” he said.
Atiku stressed the importance of building strategic partnerships between the state, private investors, local businesses, and communities to address resource gaps and unlock Taraba’s investment potential.

He added that private investments would help bridge resource gaps through additional external funding and increased internally generated revenue.

“Indeed, if Taraba aspires to realise its potential and grow its economy sustainably, it must endeavour to leverage private sector resources, including, as Aliko Dangote said, finance, skills, and technology. As a private businessman, I recognise that investment, foreign and domestic, drives economic growth and development.

“Private investments will assist the state in leveraging and maximising the economic potential of its agricultural, industrial, and solid mineral sectors, which Taraba is very well known for. This initiative aims to establish a foundation for a diversified economy and ensure inclusive growth,” Atiku said.

He also emphasised the importance of skills and technology transfer, which he said could lead to higher productivity and improved competitiveness in local enterprises.

Elumelu: Improving electricity, security key to attracting investments
Relatedly, the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu, in his remarks at the summit, said improving access to electricity and enhancing security are crucial to attracting investment to Nigeria.

“Improving access to electricity is so critical in attracting and supporting investments in the country. Improving the security also helps, and most importantly ease of doing business,” Elumelu said. He explained that he advocates investment because of its many benefits, particularly its role in engaging young people.

Employment, he said, is one of the surest ways to empower youths, adding that it is a betrayal of a generation for people to leave school without being able to find jobs.

Elumelu commended the President Bola Tinubu-led federal government for stabilising the currency but stressed the need to reduce the exchange rate further.

“I must also say that yesterday in Doha, one of the questions they asked me was about currency. I commended the Federal Government of President Bola Tinubu that we have stability now, not that the rate is not high, but stability. And investors like when there is stability so they can plan ahead. I want to see us do well and further bring the currency down,” Elumelu said.

Dangote urges govt to prioritise local investors for economic growth
President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, urged the federal and state governments to prioritise local investors to drive economic development.

At the summit, Africa’s richest man said domestic investors play a crucial role in attracting foreign investment, adding that foreign investors will not come to a country where local businesses are not thriving.

“I want to give a word of advice, Your Excellency, the only way for you to attract foreign investments or investors is by having local investors. Domestic investors are the ones who actually attract foreign investors.

“If you don’t invite local investors to come and invest, no foreigner will come and invest. Foreigners are attracted only when they see prospects for investment. Once they see that, yes, things are flowing, you don’t have to invite them, they will come,” Dangote said. He also revealed that the federal government benefits fifty-two kobo for every one naira his Dangote Cement Factory generates.

“I’m sure it might interest you to know that the federal government of Nigeria, not even the state, makes more money from, for example, our cement business. For every N1 that we turn around, 52 kobo goes to the federal government of Nigeria. So, that’s the benefit. When the government facilitates, they give you what it takes to create your own business. What we should do, also, you should behave and pay your taxes.

“So, I want to encourage that the government should continue to encourage investment, especially domestic investment. If you encourage, you have more investment. If you don’t encourage, there will not be jobs,” he maintained.

Dangote praised Governor Agbu Kefas for organising the summit, saying it would open up Taraba to investment opportunities. He highlighted Taraba’s abundant resources, including vast arable land for agriculture, which he said could create jobs and reduce poverty in the state and the country. He assured that his organisation would invest in Taraba State.

Tinubu identifies food security, regional inclusion as key to Nigeria’s peace, prosperity
President Bola Tinubu identified food security and regional inclusion as essential to Nigeria’s long-term peace and prosperity, emphasising that every region must be involved in the nation’s development.

Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the opening of the summit, yesterday, the President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to leveraging local resources, driving investment, and decentralising development across all regions.

“Food sufficiency is the first currency of national stability,” Tinubu said. “That is why we have prioritised agriculture as a central pillar of our national strategy.”

He praised Taraba’s abundant agricultural resources, including tea, coffee, and livestock, describing the state as a key player in Nigeria’s agro-industrial future. He also highlighted the Kashimbila Hydroelectric Dam as a symbol of national ambition and potential.

“Our farmers must move from hoes and cutlasses to tractors and harvesters. We must shift from subsistence farming to large-scale production,” he declared, calling for a modernised agricultural sector capable of feeding Nigeria’s growing population.

President Tinubu stressed the importance of value addition and industrialisation. “We cannot live on raw produce and unprocessed minerals. What we need are factories to add value, innovation clusters to drive ideas, and industrial parks to create impact,” he said.

Reiterating that no region can thrive in isolation, Tinubu said each part of Nigeria complements the others, adding: “Taraba’s contribution is not just in its fertile valleys and mountains but in its strategic role in our shared prosperity.”

Borno gov unveils plan to unify border communities against Boko Haram
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has unveiled plans to build a unified front against Boko Haram insurgency in three border communities with Cameroon.

The communities—Marte, Kala/Balge, and Wulgo on the shores of Lake Chad—have been occupied by terrorists for over a decade. Unveiling the security measures yesterday in Wulgo, Zulum said, “I’m here today to commiserate with you over the recent attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in the community.

“While I encourage you to be resilient enough, I am assuring you that my administration is committed to doing everything possible within its power to ensure that the border community is not taken over by Boko Haram in the massive displacements of residents, including women and children.”

He added that the state government’s security efforts and humanitarian aid would facilitate local support for sustainable peace and development on the shores of Lake Chad.

While in Wulgo, the governor engaged community leaders by listening to their insecurity concerns. Zulum announced plans to accelerate the deployment of humanitarian assistance, stating, “We’ll also strengthen security efforts by providing you with irrigation facilities, farm inputs to restore your destroyed means of livelihoods in the community.”

He emphasised the importance of community-led vigilance and resilience programmes to end the 16-year Boko Haram insurgency that has claimed many lives and properties in the state. He encouraged residents to actively participate in the post-insurgency recovery process of the border communities with Cameroon, Niger, and Chad.