Politicians, Soldiers Among Boko Haram Informants – Zulum

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has accused some military officers, politicians, and community members of serving as informants and collaborators for Boko Haram terrorists.

Speaking during an interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central, Zulum vowed to take decisive action against those sabotaging efforts to end insurgency in the state. He emphasized the importance of strengthening intelligence operations to outmaneuver both the terrorists and their internal enablers.

“We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian Armed Forces, among politicians, and in our communities,” he said. “We will strengthen our intelligence and deal with them ruthlessly.”

Zulum called for an end to what he described as “contractocracy,” saying such practices hinder the fight against insurgency. He asserted that, with political will and focus, the crisis could be significantly curtailed within six months.

“Insurgency will not end through military force alone,” he said. “We must adopt non-kinetic approaches—addressing the socio-political and economic roots of the crisis.”

While acknowledging the reintegration of over 300,000 repentant insurgents, Zulum expressed concern that some may relapse into terrorism. “We cannot rule out the possibility of a few of them returning to the bush,” he warned.

The governor also criticized the military’s lack of adequate equipment, stating that insurgents possess superior technology. “The army doesn’t have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgency,” he lamented.

Despite his criticisms, Zulum commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their support in implementing non-military strategies. “I want to commend the Nigerian Armed Forces for the support they have provided in our non-kinetic efforts,” he said.

He urged President Bola Tinubu to prioritize field intelligence and heed advice from professionals. “The President must listen to those who can distinguish right from wrong,” Zulum said. “We should not politicize insecurity. He should pay attention to the army and the voices on the ground.”

The governor also disclosed plans to deploy forest guards as part of a broader security initiative.