Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has sounded the alarm over the alleged involvement of politicians and security operatives in aiding Boko Haram.
Speaking on News Central’s Breakfast Central programme on Wednesday, the governor accused individuals within government and the armed forces of leaking sensitive information to terrorists.
According to Zulum, such betrayals from within are a key obstacle to ending the insurgency and must be dealt with decisively.
“We have people among us—elected officials, military personnel, and civilians—who are working with insurgents,” he revealed.
“We’re taking steps to improve intelligence gathering and will punish anyone found guilty.”
He also condemned what he called “contractocracy”—the overuse of contractors in security matters, which he believes hampers effective crisis response.
He insisted that the battle against insecurity should be managed professionally and not politicised.
Zulum spoke on the reintegration of former insurgents, noting that most of them have turned a new leaf.
“While I won’t claim all ex-fighters are now law-abiding, over 99% of them are no longer engaging in terrorism,” he said.
He stressed that a lasting solution to insurgency requires more than military force.
Zulum called for comprehensive strategies addressing economic and political grievances fueling extremism.
“Non-kinetic methods—such as empowerment and reconciliation—are working,” he said. “These approaches, supported by our military, have shown tangible results.”
Although he admitted a few ex-fighters might return to criminal activity, Zulum said the reintegration framework remains effective overall.
The governor also voiced concerns about the military’s inadequate equipment compared to what insurgents possess, but appreciated the army’s support in stabilising the region.
In his message to President Tinubu, Zulum urged the need to prioritise real-time intelligence and field reports over political interests.
He also revealed plans to deploy forest guards to help secure vulnerable areas.
“Mr. President must rely on those who understand the battlefield, not just politicians. Security is too important to be politicised,” he concluded.