BY: NEWS EDITOR, APRIL 25, 2025/ 02:40PM

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has emphasized the need for sustained military operations to prevent the resurgence of insurgents in the state and the North East region.

He made the call on Friday while hosting the minister of defence, Muhammad Badaru Abubakar, and other top officials at Government House in Maiduguri.

Gov. Zulum highlighted the importance of continued military operations, particularly in areas such as the Timbuktu Triangle and Mandara Hills, to prevent terrorists from regrouping and launching attacks.

He attributed the insurgents' ability to regroup to limited manpower covering land and border areas, allowing them to exploit vulnerabilities.

The governor stressed the need to secure the Sahel region and waterways, emphasizing that if these areas are not protected, the nation is not secure.

He urged the defence ministry delegation to support ongoing operations in the state with operational equipment, including tanks, sophisticated guns and ammunition, MRAPs, drones, and anti-drones.

The governor also advocated for a non-kinetic approach to ending the insurgency, suggesting that a multi-faceted strategy is necessary to address the complex security challenges facing the state.

In response, the minister assured the governor that his ministry would provide all necessary support to achieve the goal of resettling people in their ancestral homes.

'We will provide all that is needed to help you in achieving your task of resettling the people back to their ancestral homes,'he said.

He said that his delegation's visit aimed to engage with stakeholders, assess the situation, and identify additional requirements needed to stop the new trends of attacks in the state.

'We are here to engage our team in the state to find out what additional requirements (men and equipment) that is needed to stop the new trends of attacks in the state,' he added.

Abubakar thanked the governor for the warm reception and pledged continued collaboration between the state government and the defence ministry to strategize and bring an end to the insurgency in Borno State.

'We are here to share ideas in order to restrategize our operations and bring an end to the insurgency in the state,' he said, reaffirming the ministry's commitment to supporting the state's security efforts.