The Senate and Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Wednesday urged President Bola Tinubu to take urgent measures against the renewed terrorist attacks in the North-East.

Zulum advised the President to rely more on the professional judgment of the military rather than political voices in the fight against Boko Haram insurgents.

The Senate, for its part, called for concerted action against the terrorists. It also recommended the establishment of a military base in the Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Speaking on News Central’s Breakfast Central on Wednesday, Zulum emphasized that the solution to the prolonged insurgency lies in strengthening ground-level military intelligence and avoiding political interference.

“The President needs to listen to the people who can tell him the right thing. The President should listen to the army,” Zulum declared. “We should not politicise insecurity.”

He warned that some politicians and even members of the armed forces were acting as informants and collaborators for the insurgents, which further complicates efforts to restore peace.

“We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian armed forces, politicians, and communities,” he revealed.

“What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and deal with them ruthlessly.”

Zulum called for a shift from what he described as “contractocracy” and excessive bureaucracy in security procurement and planning, saying Nigeria could end the insurgency in six months with the right focus.

He also criticised the current state of military equipment, noting that insurgents had gained technological superiority over the Nigerian forces.

“The army doesn’t have the necessary equipment to fight the insurgency. The insurgents have the technology,” Zulum claimed.

Despite this, the governor praised the armed forces for supporting non-kinetic (non-military) measures, which he said are yielding positive results.

“Insurgency will never be ended by kinetic measures alone. We must ensure that the non-kinetic measures are also properly put in place,” he said, citing the importance of addressing the social, political, and economic roots of the crisis.

On the controversial issue of surrendered insurgents, Zulum maintained that the vast majority of repentant fighters have reintegrated positively into society.

“I cannot completely say that 100% of those who surrendered are doing the right thing, but I want to assure you that over 99% are doing well and are not participating in ongoing terrorism,” he said.

While acknowledging the risk of some returnees relapsing into militancy, Zulum insisted the deradicalisation and reintegration program is largely successful.

“The forest guard shall be provided immediately,” he added, emphasising the need for practical, local solutions alongside military efforts.

Zulum’s comments underscore his long-standing position that professional military insight, not political manoeuvring, should drive Nigeria’s strategy to defeat Boko Haram.

During the plenary on Wednesday, the Senate passed a resolution calling for the establishment of a military base in Hong LGA of Adamawa State.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Aminu Abbas (PDP–Adamawa) and co-sponsored by all senators from the North-East.

Titled, ‘Resurgence of Boko Haram Activities in Hong and Gombi Local Government Areas, Adamawa and Other North-East States,’ the motion highlighted the increasing frequency of attacks in the region, particularly in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe States.

While commending the efforts of Nigeria’s security forces, the Senate emphasised the urgent need for reinforcement through the creation of a military base in Hong.

The lawmakers argued that such a facility would strengthen the presence of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in the area.

Additionally, the Senate directed the National Emergency Management Agency to deliver relief materials to the affected communities to mitigate the humanitarian impact of the attacks.

Presenting the motion, Abbas expressed concern over the growing insecurity in Hong and Gombi LGAs, noting that successive Boko Haram attacks have displaced thousands and disrupted livelihoods.

“The renewed wave of attacks has left communities in fear, and economic activities have ground to a halt. People can no longer go to their farms or conduct their businesses,” Abbas said.

Lending his voice to the debate, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno praised the military’s past efforts in counter-insurgency operations.

He recalled how large swathes of Borno and Yobe States were once under Boko Haram’s control.

“But through strong political will and military resolve, we were able to regain those territories. Unfortunately, we’re now witnessing a resurgence, with recent attacks even targeting military formations and looting equipment,” Monguno warned.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio stressed the importance of sustained vigilance, noting that Boko Haram often strikes when security forces let down their guard.

“Any time the fight abates and they think that the military has relaxed, they will catch them unawares with sporadic attacks. Our borders remain porous, and many of the attackers are not even Nigerians. They infiltrate our territory with ease and launch deadly assaults. We must not allow complacency.

“While commanding the brilliant performance of the law enforcement agents, we call for the establishment of a military base in the Hong Local Government Area for reinforcement of the existing personnel of the Nigerian Army and other sister security operatives.

“We direct NEMA to provide relief materials to cushion the effects of the attacks on the affected communities,” Akpabio said.

Presidency chides Zulum

A presidential aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity, chided the governor’s assertions, questioning the effectiveness of Boko Haram in the 15-year fight.

Asked if Zulum’s assertion that Boko had superior weapons was true, he stated, “That is not true. The President has service and intelligence chiefs. He meets with them regularly, and they brief him on their progress.

“Supposing Boko Haram has superior weapons to the Nigerian military and has an agenda of establishing a caliphate, do you think Governor Zulum will still be living in his Government House?

“So, if Boko Haram’s weapons are superior, why is he still sleeping in the Government House? Why have they not overrun Maiduguri by now? Why is Boko Haram still operating from the fringes?”

Similarly, a member of the House of Representatives Committee on Defence described Zulum’s comment on Boko Haram’s sophistication as “way off the mark,” noting that across the African continent, the Nigerian military is highly respected for its capacity to rise to local and continental challenges.

The member, who declined to be named because he lacks the authorisation to speak for the committee, said, “Gov Zulum is wrong. His claims are mere guesses because the public will believe him because of the emotive nature of these attacks. The governor and the entire people and government of Borno State deserve our sympathy, but to say that a set of senseless killers are better armed technologically or otherwise than our gallant troops is way off the mark.’’

“Our military forces are doing very well. In no distant time, this insurgency or whatever you call it will be history,” he added.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Markus Kangye, did not respond to a request for his reaction to Zulum’s claims.

Meanwhile, northern state governments battling with insecurity reacted differently to Governor Zulum’s claim that insurgents were using superior technology — including drones —to gain an advantage over the Nigerian military.

Media aide to Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State, Mustafa Kaura, said Zulum could be right — particularly in Borno where Boko Haram reportedly used drones in their operations. He clarified that while Zamfara had not experienced drone attacks, the state battles a different kind of enemy — bandits who typically wield AK-47 rifles, similar to what the military uses.

He also stated that the bandits were different from Boko Haram, adding, “The bandits have yet to launch their attacks with the use of drones.

“So, in a nutshell, Governor Zulum could be right because of the happenings in his state at the moment, where Boko Haram insurgents are using drones while the military are not.”

Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris, through his press secretary, Ahmed Idris, took a neutral stance, neither supporting nor rejecting Zulum’s claim. He, however, called for verification of the Borno governor’s statement saying Boko Haram had informants among politicians and soldiers, and urged action to identify possible informants among the military and political class.

“We are calling on the Federal Government to verify his (Zulum) claim with a view to fishing out the informants among soldiers and politicians, the lives of Nigerians far more important than any person,” Idris said.

Special Adviser on Security Matters to the Sokoto State Governor, Col. Ahmed Usman (retd.), said the state government would not join any “blame game.” He maintained that Sokoto enjoyed a strong working relationship with security forces and is focused on supporting their operations.

“We don’t have any issues with the security agents, we are in good relationship and the results is there to show it. We are not ready to join any issue, ours is to provide them with support on how to tackle this menace,” he stated.

While reacting to the development, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, Peter Ahemba, noted that if the terrorists were using technology to unleash mayhem on the country, the Federal Government ought to equip the military with the needed technological gadgets to enable them surmount the criminal elements.

“Technology is something that must be adopted because the world has become a global village, so, whatever you do now as far as the society is concerned, technology is important.

“Especially when you talk about fighting crime, you must do this because the bandits and terrorists themselves are using technology in carrying out their nefarious activities. So, the government also has to adopt such technology measures in order to surpass whatever they are doing,” he said.

He also advised the FG to hasten up the process of introducing state police in the country, noting that its introduction would help in tackling insurgency and other forms of insecurity, especially within the northern part of Nigeria.

Ahemba added, “When the state police come on board, the people will now be better informed and better equipped to deal with such insurgency because the people live with them.

“They have better knowledge of the environment than other conventional police and security agencies that are not part of the community.”

Speaking (with The Punch) in Jos on Wednesday, the Special Adviser to Governor Caleb Mutfwang on Policy and Governance, Yiljap Abraham, said, “What is happening in Borno State is unfortunate and is not isolated.”

“A state should not be allowed to handle the situation because what the insurgents do is strike in a place and move to another place and that is also what we are facing in Plateau.

“So, there should be a collective approach by states in dealing with the situation so that wherever the bandits run to, they will be tracked down.

“Secondly, there should be an in-house cleansing within the security apparatus. This is important because no matter the strategy or plan you adopt in dealing with the situation, it will be difficult for it to succeed if it is leaked to the bandits ahead of the operation.

“And thirdly, deliberate efforts should be made to mobilize local communities and empower them to be able to face the challenge of insecurity in their domain.”

The Benue State Commissioner for Information, Mathew Abo, stated that the state could not verify Zulum’s claims because it lacked access to military armoury. He emphasised that only the military could confirm whether insurgents were better equipped or not.

The Special Adviser to the Kogi State Governor on Media, Ismail Isah, disagreed with Zulum’s assertion.

“Insurgents can’t be more powerful than the government and they also can’t boast of more knowledge of the local terrain irrespective of their ragtag capabilities.

“We are enjoying the support of the military and other security agencies along with our vigilante service and local hunters and we are working together to defeat criminal elements in our state despite some minor and opportunistic setbacks.”

Credit: The Punch