The Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has raised a fresh alarm over the regrouping of Boko Haram and Islamic State insurgents in the Tumbus areas of Lake Chad and the Mandara Hills within the Sambisa Forest.
Governor Zulum lamented a setback in military operations, stating that Boko Haram terrorists were regrouping in the Tumbus water areas without resistance from the military. He disclosed this on Friday in Maiduguri during a visit from the Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar; Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa; and other top military commanders.
While acknowledging the military’s efforts, Zulum noted a resurgence of terrorists around the Lake Chad Tumbus and Sambisa Forest’s Mandara Hills. He said, “We do military exercises, and after some time, we disengage. Boko Haram and ISWAP members return to retake those areas.”
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Zulum emphasized that the shores of the Tumbus have long been a breeding ground for insurgents, providing them with money, livelihoods, and protection. He called for continuous military operations, particularly along the waterways, warning that terrorists across different regions retreat to Lake Chad’s Tumbus for survival.
The governor identified challenges such as insufficient military manpower covering critical areas like the Timbuktu triangle, the Tumbus, and the porous borders to Sahelian states. He urged for more trained personnel, noting the international support Boko Haram and ISWAP receive and the vulnerability of Nigeria’s borders.
Zulum further appealed for more military equipment, including tracked tanks, MRAPs, attack helicopters, and sophisticated drones, to counter armed drone threats. He pointed out that a recent ISWAP and Boko Haram attack in Wulgo was supported by armed drones.
He stressed the need for both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, revealing that over 300,000 repentant Boko Haram members had been received in Borno over the last three years.
Expressing optimism, Zulum assured that security would improve and pledged full collaboration with the military. Responding, Defence Minister Badaru Abubakar promised that the Federal Government would provide more military support to tackle the security challenges in Borno and the North-East.
