Worst of Boko Haram insurgency over, says Borno gov

The Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Wednesday said the security situation in the state has significantly improved, declaring that “the worst is over.”

Governor Zulum made the statement during a meeting with the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Shuaibu Waidi, in Maiduguri.

While delivering his remarks, Zulum stated that compared to the peak of the crisis years ago, the current security landscape, despite recent setbacks, shows significant improvement.

He also called on the people of Borno State to continue cooperating with and supporting the military and other security agencies.

The governor emphasised that the war against terrorism requires collective effort, urging residents to be vigilant and provide timely intelligence to security operatives to prevent attacks and ensure lasting peace in the state.

“Yes, we have witnessed a series of attacks on our communities and the security forces, but the worst is over; we shall continue to collaborate and provide the needed intelligence to our security forces to bring this madness to an end,” Zulum said.

“The frequency and scale of attacks on our communities then were overwhelming. Today, while we grieve any single setback, we can also see that the worst is indeed behind us. The trajectory is toward peace, and we are committed to sustaining it,” he added.

Zulum commiserated with the Nigerian Army over the recent tactical setbacks across the theatre.

He praised the sacrifice and bravery of officers and soldiers, describing them as heroes who, in some cases, pay the ultimate price for the nation’s security.

“On behalf of the government and people of Borno State, I wish to reiterate that we stand with the officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Armed Forces. We will not take their sacrifice for granted,” he said.

Responding, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Waidi, assured that Army headquarters would provide the necessary logistics to the troops and commended Zulum for his support to the armed forces.

“I want to most sincerely, on behalf of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army, extend our appreciation to His Excellency for visiting us at a time like this. We appreciate your support in Borno,” he said.

“We have confidence in our society here in the theatre and, from Army headquarters, we will provide all the necessary resources needed to ensure they achieve their mission,” he added.

On Tuesday, the governor appealed to the Nigerian Armed Forces to launch an urgent, full-scale offensive against terrorist strongholds in the Tumbus Islands of Lake Chad, the Mandara Hills and the Sambisa Forest.

He made the call during a meeting with the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, who paid a working visit to Maiduguri as part of ongoing assessments of counterterrorism operations in the North-East.

Speaking with visible frustration over persistent attacks originating from the Lake Chad axis, Zulum described the Tumbus Islands and Mandara Hills, located across the marshlands and waterways of Lake Chad — as entrenched operational bases for Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West Africa Province.

He lamented that despite years of military engagement, a full, joint operation involving the Navy, Air Force and Army has never been executed to completely clear the Tumbus region.

“A thorough military operation that involves the Naval, Air Force and Army, purposely intended to rid off the Mandara Hills and Tumbus, has never been conducted,” Zulum said.

“If we want to bring down insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria, we must address the challenges we are facing in Lake Chad. The area has provided a safe haven for the terrorists. This is our major problem now.”

He identified the Sambisa Game Reserve and the Mandara Hills as the two remaining enclaves shielding terrorist factions, insisting that only a well-coordinated, multi-agency operation would neutralise the threats in these terrains.

Zulum further urged the Nigerian Air Force to deploy additional Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to the North-East theatre, stressing that enhanced aerial surveillance and rapid engagement capability are key to achieving decisive victories.