Zulum reveals those behind Boko Haram, vows crackdown on saboteurs

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has made a startling revelation, accusing certain members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, politicians, and local communities of acting as informants and collaborators for Boko Haram insurgents.

The governor vowed to deal decisively and ruthlessly with those sabotaging efforts to restore peace and stability in the insurgency-ravaged state.

In an interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central, Governor Zulum expressed deep frustration over the persistent threat of terrorism in Borno and attributed part of the problem to insider collaboration with the enemy.

“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.”

The governor emphasized that the battle against Boko Haram cannot be won by military might alone, stressing the need for a multi-dimensional strategy that incorporates social, political, and economic interventions.

“Insurgency will never end with kinetic measures alone. We must ensure that the non-kinetic measures are also put in place,” Zulum stated. “What I mean by non-kinetic measures are socio-political and economic dimensions of the crisis.”

He criticized what he termed “contractocracy,” referring to the influence of vested interests profiting from prolonged insecurity, and called for its elimination in order to allow genuine progress.

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“Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity,” he said firmly.

Zulum also expressed caution over the reintegration of repentant insurgents, acknowledging the challenges of trust and potential relapse.

“Among the 300,000 or more that have repented, I cannot rule out the possibility of a few of them going back to the bush,” he warned.

The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to enhancing its intelligence-gathering capabilities to unmask saboteurs and restore lasting peace to Borno State.

His remarks have stirred national attention and are expected to prompt discussions around military accountability, political complicity, and the broader strategy for ending insurgency in Nigeria.