Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has responded to a news report claiming that the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, dismissed his recent concerns about the security situation in the state. Zulum had previously raised alarms about Boko Haram’s renewed attacks and kidnappings in Borno, suggesting that security forces in the region were struggling to control the insurgents.
Zulum made these remarks during a meeting with security forces in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Tuesday. According to Daily Trust, Boko Haram militants, along with their offshoot, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have primarily operated in northeastern Nigeria, targeting both security forces and civilians, leading to numerous deaths and displacements.
However, the Information Minister was reported to have dismissed the governor’s claims in a publication, which was not by Daily Trust. In a statement issued by Rabiu Ibrahim, the Minister’s Special Assistant (Media), Idris refuted the allegations, categorically stating that Zulum’s interpretation of his remarks was a gross distortion. The statement read: “At no time did the Minister say, ‘Ignore Zulum, Boko Haram is not taking over Borno.’ Such a headline is not only sensational but deliberately crafted as a deliberate act of misinformation to stoke public misunderstanding and distract from the serious work the Federal Government is doing to address security challenges.”
In response, Governor Zulum, in an interview with journalists, suggested that the Information Minister was unaware of the actual situation in the country. He stated: “I don’t want to join issues with the Minister of Information. I believe he is naïve of what is happening in the country, he doesn’t know what is ongoing in the country.” He clarified that his administration’s intention was merely to highlight the resurgence of Boko Haram activities in Borno State, emphasizing the need for collaboration between the Borno State government, the military, and paramilitary forces to prevent a worsening situation.
Zulum further explained, “Our discussions during the Security Council meeting were not bad. We just raised an alarm that there is resurgence of Boko Haram activities in Borno State, and there is a need for Borno State government, the military as well as paramilitary, to work together in order to avert the looming situation. I think this is very good advice. Nothing has been said again.”
The governor also shared the positive outcome of a recent visit to Abuja, where he and other state officials met with top military leaders, including the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Chief of Army Staff, Naval Staff, and Air Force Staff. Zulum confirmed that the service chiefs had assured them that every effort would be made to control the situation. He expressed satisfaction with their response, noting that the Borno State government would continue to collaborate with the Nigerian military and federal authorities to reduce the insurgency.
Reassuring the people of Borno, Zulum said: “And I want to assure the people of Borno that Inshallah, under my watch, Boko Haram will not have the capacity to do what they did before. We shall do everything possible to curtail them. The Government of Borno State will provide more support to the Nigerian army. We shall strengthen the resilience of our civilian GTF, hunters, and vigilantes, and most especially, I will live up to the expectations of the people of God by completely addressing the problem of insecurity.”
The governor concluded by highlighting the significant progress made since his administration took office in 2019. He reassured the people of Borno that the current situation would not continue unchanged.
