The Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum has spoken on the ongoing security challenges posed by banditry and terrorism in Borno State. He alleged that some military personnel have been implicated in providing ammunition to insurgents.
He expressed concern about the dual challenges posed by both local informants and those from outside the country, which he described as part of a broader “foreign invasion.” He acknowledged the difficulty in identifying the individuals or groups who are sponsoring these criminal activities, suggesting that there are elements within Nigerian society that benefit from the persistence of the crisis. He pointed out that these beneficiaries come from various backgrounds and regions, including his own community, complicating efforts to resolve the situation.
He said in an interview with Channels TV from 14:27, ”Among the population, I cannot say who are sponsoring these bandits and terrorists. But we still have some people that don’t want to see the end of this crisis. And they are from everywhere in the country, including in my home, and this is because they are benefiting from it.
And this is not only civilians; it cuts across all strata, and it’s very difficult to deal with an enemy that you don’t see. But many times, some informants were arrested within the community. Some military personnel were arrested while trying to provide some ammunition to the insurgents. So, there’s infiltration in the military, and there are infiltrations by the locals, which are the civilians, but most importantly, there’s also what we call the foreign invasion.”