In a compelling appeal, Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has called on President Bola Tinubu to rely on direct military intelligence and eschew advice from political sycophants, asserting that Nigeria can eradicate the Boko Haram insurgency within six months if entrenched bureaucratic and contractual inefficiencies—termed “contractocracy”—are addressed.
Speaking during an interview with News Central TV, Governor Zulum criticized the current procurement processes for military equipment, describing them as hampered by unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles that benefit contractors over national security interests. He emphasized that these inefficiencies have prolonged the insurgency and undermined the effectiveness of military operations.
“The president should listen to those who can provide accurate, on-the-ground assessments, not those who tell him what he wants to hear,” Zulum stated. “If we eliminate contractocracy, we can end this insurgency in six months.”
The governor highlighted that over 80,000 individuals have been displaced from Marte Local Government Area alone due to recent insurgent activities. He also revealed that insurgents have been utilizing drones to combat ground troops, indicating a significant escalation in their capabilities.
Zulum accused certain military officers and politicians of colluding with insurgents, acting as informants and collaborators. He vowed that the government would take decisive action against these saboteurs, emphasizing the need to strengthen intelligence operations to identify and neutralize internal threats.
While acknowledging the importance of military action, Governor Zulum stressed that non-kinetic measures—such as socio-economic and political strategies—are essential to achieving lasting peace. He advocated for community-based approaches, including the recruitment of forest guards from affected communities, to enhance local security and foster trust between the government and citizens.
The governor’s remarks come amid a resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in Borno State, raising concerns about the effectiveness of current counter-insurgency strategies. Zulum’s call for a reevaluation of procurement processes and a focus on actionable intelligence aims to galvanize a more effective and unified response to the ongoing security challenges in Nigeria’s northeast.
