Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has raised alarm over renewed Boko Haram attacks across the state, warning that recent military setbacks suggest Nigeria is "losing ground" against insurgents - even as bandit violence escalates catastrophically in the Northwest.
Zulum's grim assessment came during an emergency security meeting on Tuesday, just days after bandits killed 10 people and abducted over 120 across Katsina, Zamfara and Sokoto states. The parallel crises highlight Nigeria's deteriorating security landscape, with both the Northeast and Northwest now facing resurgent threats.
Military Bases Overrun, Civilians Targeted
The governor cited recent attacks in Wajirko, Sabon Gari, Wulgo and Izge where insurgents not only killed civilians and security personnel but successfully dislodged military formations - a development he called "a significant setback."
"This daily pattern of attacks without effective confrontation signals Borno is losing the gains made in recent years," Zulum stated, referencing the relative peace achieved since 2021. His warning echoes concerns in Northwest states where bandits now operate with similar impunity, overrunning communities and kidnapping victims by the dozens as seen in last weekend's Katsina and Zamfara raids.
Call for Tech-Driven Warfare
While commending federal support, Zulum urged deployment of advanced surveillance and weaponry along Borno's porous borders with Chad, Niger and Cameroon - a technological upgrade Northwest governors have similarly demanded to combat bandits exploiting forest hideouts.
The appeal comes as both regions face asymmetrical threats: Borno's jihadist insurgency and the Northwest's criminal banditry, now adopting terrorist tactics like mass abductions and reprisal killings. In Zamfara, bandits recently murdered 2 and kidnapped 60 to avenge their leaders' deaths - mirroring Boko Haram's retaliatory patterns.
National Security at Crossroads
The simultaneous crises present President Bola Tinubu with a multi-front security challenge. While Northwest governors grapple with bandit warlords like Zamfara's Adamu Aliero, Zulum's disclosure of reemerging Boko Haram strength suggests Nigeria's security apparatus is being stretched dangerously thin.
As the military scrambles to respond to Tuesday's student abduction in Kebbi and Sokoto's militia attacks, Zulum's warning serves as a stark reminder: without urgent intervention, both regions risk sliding back into the worst violence of the past decade.
—With additional reporting from Northwest Nigeria where over 130 civilians have been killed or abducted in 72 hours.
