Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has raised the alarm over the resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in the state. The governor disclosed this at the expanded state executive council meeting in Maiduguri. Those in attendance included General Officer Commanding 7 Division, Major General Abubakar Haruna, sector commanders, commissioner of police, heads of other security agencies, and traditional rulers. Zulum used the occasion to urge the Federal Government to adequately equip the military to stem the renewed attacks by the insurgents, who are reportedly in control of three local government areas of the state.
We decry the renewed attacks by terrorists in Borno State and call on the government to tame them. Without doubt, the dislodgement of military formations in Wajirko, Sabon Gari in Damboa Local Government, Wulgo in Gamboru Ngala, Izge in Gwoza Local Government, and related killings of innocent civilians and security agencies underscore the enormity of the security challenge in the state.
About three local government areas-Guzamala, Marte, Abbadam and some parts of Mobbar are reportedly under the total control of Boko Haram. The timely alarm by Zulum is a wake-up call on the Federal Government to initiate moves to check the onslaught of the terrorists. Last month, suspected members of the sect launched a coordinated attack on an army base and a military outpost in Borno, killing at least 16 people.
Earlier in January, at least 20 soldiers were reportedly killed in an attack by fighters from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The attackers targeted an army base in the remote Malam-Fatori town in an offensive that lasted for more than three hours. Within the same period, at least 40 farmers were allegedly killed in the state.
Similarly, 21 persons were killed and several others declared missing after suspected bandits invaded Baure village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State. In Sokoto, the emergence of Lakurawa, a new terror group, has added to the climate of insecurity in the North-West region and other parts of the country. Intelligence reports show that the terror group infiltrated from the Republic of Niger following the recent coup, which disrupted military cooperation between Nigeria and Niger. The terrorists took advantage of the gaps in cooperation between both countries and made incursions into remote areas in some North-western states. Over time, members of the sect started imposing their brand of worship and taxes on the residents. In November 2024, Lakurawa attacks in Mera village, Augie Local Government Area of Kebbi State, claimed 15 lives.
All the security breaches give cause for concern. The upsurge in Boko Haram activities in Borno State must be checked forthwith by the Nigerian troops. With the renewed attacks, communal life has been disrupted. Farmers can no longer go to farms. This will definitely lead to rise in the price of food items.
We believe that Nigerian troops will overcome the terrorists if they are adequately equipped and motivated. There is urgent need to improve on intelligence gathering and sharing among the troops. Government must rise up to the challenge. There is no doubt that some commendable efforts have been made by the government and military authorities to contain the insurgents. However, more needs to be done to check the resurgence of the terrorists in Borno State.
The alarm raised by Zulum should not be dismissed. Let the government take it seriously. There is need for change of strategies in tackling the Boko Haram insurgency and the rising insecurity in other parts of the country. Government should investigate why measures put in place to stem the insecurity are not yielding the desired results.
With Boko Haram in the North-East, Lakurawa and bandits in the North-West, murderous herdsmen in the North-Central and other criminal elements holding sway in other parts of the country, insecurity is clearly on the rise. We call for the recruitment of more men into the army, police, and other security agencies. It also requires the deployment of drones and high-precision weapons and technology to tackle the rising insurgency. With adequate technology, some of the attacks can be nipped in the bud.
The ceaseless killings in Borno and other parts of the country must be brought to an end. Security agents should wake up to their primary responsibility of protecting the citizens, ensuring law and order. It is high time the government began to give serious attention to community policing. The current centralization of the Force makes it too cumbersome for prompt response when the need arises. Indigenes of a particular location understand its terrain and peculiarities. There is also the need to strengthen the country’s border security measures to prevent infiltration of criminal elements from neighboring countries.