The Federal Government has pledged to deploy all necessary resources to tackle the resurgence of insecurity in Borno State, following a spike in violent attacks across parts of the region. Minister of Defence, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru, made this known during a high-level visit to Maiduguri on Friday, April 25, 2025. Accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, and other top military officials, the visit was ordered by President Bola Tinubu to assess the security situation and take swift action.
“This powerful delegation is here on the President’s directive,” Badaru said during a meeting with Governor Babagana Zulum. “Our mission is to determine what is needed—whether in manpower, logistics, or equipment to stop this new wave of insecurity.” He assured that the Federal Government would not allow recent setbacks to erase the significant security progress made in the region, which has endured over a decade of insurgency from Boko Haram and ISWAP militants.
“The President has ordered us to ensure every necessary resource is made available to halt this disturbing trend,” he emphasized. The Defence Minister acknowledged that the recent surge in violence posed a threat to the return and rehabilitation of thousands of displaced persons. He stressed the importance of reinforcing the region’s security apparatus and announced that daily situation reports from the North East would now be sent directly to the President for prompt action.
Governor Zulum, while welcoming the delegation, expressed hope that the visit would lead to renewed momentum in tackling insecurity. He praised the federal government’s commitment and pledged continued political support to the military. “This visit gives us hope. With stronger collaboration and resilience, we can overcome these new challenges,” Zulum stated. He urged sustained coordination between political leaders and military authorities to safeguard the hard-earned peace and development in the state. “We must ensure that the successes we’ve achieved are not reversed,” he added.
The visit comes amid increasing concerns about the regrouping of Boko Haram insurgents in the Tumbus areas of Lake Chad and the Mandara Hills within the Sambisa Forest. Zulum lamented what he called a setback in military operations in the state, saying Boko Haram terrorists were freely breeding in Tumbus water areas on the Lake Chad without much effort by the military to dislodge them.
“What we are facing now is, we do military exercises/operations, and after some time, we disengage. The Boko Haram and ISWAP members will again come and take over those areas that were hitherto regained,” Zulum explained. He highlighted the need for military operations to be conducted in the waterway, asserting that all terrorists operating in the Northwest, North Central, and Northeast would return to the Sahel and Tumbus in the Lake Chad for their livelihoods.
“There was never a time since the insurgency started that operations were conducted on the shores of the Tumbus in the Lake Chad. And, it has been a breeding ground for the insurgents. They can get money, livelihoods, and everything in that water,” he added.
The governor listed some of the challenges faced in the state as lack of military manpower covering the Timbuktu triangle, Tumbus, Mandara hills, and the porous Nigerian borders to Sahelian states. “Manpower is very essential,” he noted, while also acknowledging the constraints of the Nigerian army, which is stretched thin across multiple regions.
“While I was aware of the constraints of the Nigerian army, because right now, you are everywhere in Nigeria, I still believe that the Army should look into the possibility of sending more trained manpower to the North East,” Zulum urged.
He also raised concerns about limited military manpower, especially in managing the state’s forests and porous borders, and called for increased deployment of trained personnel to the region. “If the Sahel is not secured, all of Nigeria will not be secured. So there is a need to fortify the security situation in the Sahel in order to end the crisis across the country,” he asserted.
In response, Defence Minister Badaru assured that the Federal Government would provide more military support to deal with the security challenges in Borno and the North East. “We are here this afternoon, Your Excellency, to engage our team here and find out what their requirements are, so as to stop the new trend of insecurity we have been seeing in Borno State and the North East,” he stated.
“Ours is to find out what they need in terms of men and equipment. The President has given us the directive to make sure we provide everything required to stop this ugly tide,” Badaru emphasized. He acknowledged the period of relative peace Borno State had experienced due to the Governor’s determined efforts, allowing many residents to return to their homes and rebuild their lives.
“We recognize that Borno State has enjoyed a period of comparative peace due to your strong leadership, and this has enabled people to return to their towns and villages to rebuild their lives,” Badaru noted. He expressed concern about recent developments that threatened these gains but reassured the Governor of the Federal Government’s steadfast commitment to maintaining peace in the region.
Furthermore, both Badaru and Zulum emphasized the importance of a strategic partnership between federal forces and local authorities. They agreed that integrating local intelligence and sustaining military pressure is key to achieving long-term peace and stability in the region.
“We have to be resilient enough and ensure that the successes that have so far been recorded will not diminish, insha’Allah,” Zulum affirmed. He pledged continued political support to the military in the fight against insurgency and lauded the federal government for its sustained commitment to Borno’s stability.
The Defence Minister's visit to Borno State marks a significant step in addressing the complex security challenges faced by the region. As the federal government commits to boosting military assistance, the hope remains that these efforts will restore peace and security to the beleaguered state.
