“We Have Boko Haram Informants Among Politicians and Soldiers” — Borno Governor Zulum

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has revealed that some Nigerian politicians and members of the armed forces are acting as informants and collaborators for Boko Haram insurgents. Speaking in an interview on News Central’s Breakfast Central, Zulum vowed to strengthen the state’s intelligence network and deal firmly with those sabotaging security efforts.

“We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian armed forces, within the politicians, and within the communities. What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly,” he said. Zulum emphasized the need to end what he called “contractocracy” and asserted that with better intelligence, Boko Haram’s threat could be eliminated within six months if insecurity is not politicized.

On the topic of surrendered insurgents, Zulum stated that while not all have fully reformed, more than 99 percent are positively contributing to peace efforts and are no longer involved in terrorism. He underscored that military action alone will not end insurgency and called for a combination of kinetic and 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,” Zulum explained, acknowledging the progress made through these efforts with the Nigerian military’s support. He admitted that among the more than 500,000 repentant fighters, a small number might return to violence but expressed confidence in the overall effectiveness of the system.

The governor criticized the military’s lack of adequate equipment, noting that insurgents currently hold a technological advantage. Despite this, he praised the Nigerian armed forces for their role in supporting peace-building initiatives.

Zulum called on President Bola Tinubu to prioritize ground-level intelligence and heed professional military advice, stressing that insecurity should not be politicized. “The President needs to listen to those who can differentiate their left from their right. The President should listen to the army,” he urged.