Zulum Alleges Politicians, Soldiers Among Boko Haram Informants
Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has made a startling revelation, alleging that certain politicians and members of the Nigerian armed forces are serving as informants and collaborators for Boko Haram insurgents.
Speaking during an interview on Breakfast Central, a programme on News Central TV, Governor Zulum emphasized the urgent need to strengthen intelligence networks and take decisive action against internal saboteurs.
“We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian armed forces, within the politicians, and within the communities,” he said. “What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly.”
Governor Zulum criticized what he termed “contractocracy” in the security architecture and called for the depoliticization of security issues, insisting that Nigeria has the capacity to end the insurgency if the right measures are taken.
“Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity,” he added.
Addressing the controversial programme for rehabilitating surrendered Boko Haram fighters, the governor maintained that while not all repentant insurgents are reformed, the vast majority are no longer involved in terrorist activities.
“I cannot completely say that 100% of those people who have surrendered are doing the right thing, but I want to assure you that over 99% are doing well and are not participating in the ongoing terrorism,” Zulum stated.
He noted that over 500,000 former fighters have surrendered, and although some may relapse, the deradicalisation and reintegration efforts are largely successful.
The governor emphasized the need to complement military operations with non-kinetic strategies, including social, political, and economic interventions.
“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, highlighting the military’s role in supporting community-based peace initiatives.
Despite praising the Nigerian armed forces for their contributions to peacebuilding, Zulum lamented the inadequate equipment available to troops, claiming insurgents often possess superior technology.
Governor Zulum urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rely on ground-level intelligence and listen to professional military advice in order to make informed decisions on security.
“The President of Nigeria needs to listen to those who can differentiate their left from their right. We should not politicise insecurity. The President should listen to the army,” he advised.
He also disclosed that plans are underway to immediately deploy a forest guard to enhance surveillance and protect vulnerable communities.
Zulum Alleges Politicians, Soldiers Among Boko Haram Informants is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
