Terrorists Now Use Military, Politicians As Informants — Gov Zulum

The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has raised alarm over the growing presence of informants and collaborators within critical sectors of Nigerian society, such as the military and political class, working in alliance with insurgents.

In an interview with News Central on Wednesday, Governor Zulum emphasized the necessity of revamping intelligence strategies and taking more decisive action to address the worsening security situation in the region.

“We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian armed forces, within the politicians, and within the communities,” Governor Zulum stated. “What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly.”

He condemned the practice of “contractocracy”, where security contracts seem to take precedence over the actual goal of achieving peace. Zulum believes dismantling such systems could be key to speeding up the restoration of peace in the region.

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

Zulum further discussed the ongoing efforts in dealing with insurgency, stating that kinetic military measures alone wouldn’t be enough to resolve the conflict. He called for a holistic approach, which integrates non-kinetic measures such as social, political, and economic solutions, alongside military action. According to him, these measures, combined with support from the Nigerian military, have already yielded positive results.

Zulum acknowledged that while a significant number of former insurgents have surrendered and embraced peace, there is a possibility that a few may return to criminal activities. However, he emphasized that the likelihood of this happening is low.

“Yes, I believe among the 500,000 or more that have repented, I cannot rule out the possibility of a few of them going back to the bush,” the governor stated.

Zulum’s comments underline the need for both military action and social interventions to combat insurgency, stressing that a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes and includes all sectors of society is essential for lasting peace in the region.