Governor Babagana Zulum, on Wednesday, accused Nigerian soldiers and politicians of working for Boko Haram. Zulum, alleged yesterday that some politicians and members of the armed forces act as informants and collaborators for Boko Haram insurgents.
The governor, who made the allegation in an interview on News Central’s Breakfast programme, also said the Nigerian Army lacks the requisite equipment to fight terrorists, noting that, devoid of politics, Boko Haram can be wiped out in six months.
Zulum spoke on a day Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said some of the terrorists and bandits terrorising the country are not Nigerians, even as the Senate warned that insurgency could spread to other parts of the North, if it was not checked now.
“What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly.”
The Borno governor added, “Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity.”
Mr Zulum’s statement comes amid the resurgence of Boko Haram, a terrorist group that has been terrorising the North-East for over a decade.
Over the weekend, Mr Zulum lamented that Marte LGA was under the control of Boko Haram.
“Marte’s local government comprises over 300 towns and villages. Now we have only one standing.
“If we cannot maintain this one, then we will lose the whole local government to the insurgents, which will be very obnoxious, and I think we will not allow this to happen,” Mr Zulum said.
Mr Zulum declared a one-day prayer and fasting to combat insecurity in Borno over the weekend.
The United Nations Development Programme estimated that about 350,000 persons have been killed by Boko Haram insurgents.
According to Human Rights Watch, as of July 2022, the Boko Haram conflict had displaced about 2.2 million people in the Northeast, the vast majority, over 1.8 million, in Borno.
