BY: MUSA IDRIS UMAR, SEPTEMBER 6, 2025/ 09:41PM
Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has made an impassioned plea for the immediate deployment of the state's newly trained Forest Guards.
The call comes in the wake of a horrific Boko Haram massacre that claimed the lives of 63 people in the Darajamal community.
The governor, who visited the community on Saturday, was visibly shaken by the attack.
The victims, who included five soldiers and 58 civilians, had only been resettled in the community two months prior, making the tragedy even more poignant.
Gov. Zulum met with community leaders to condole with the bereaved families and condemned the heinous act in the strongest terms.
'We are here to commiserate with the people of Darajamal over what happened last night that has claimed the lives of many people. It is very sad,' the governor said.
'This community was settled a few months ago and they go about their normal activities, but unfortunately, they experienced a Boko Haram attack last night. Our visit is to commiserate with them and build their resilience.'
While lamenting the strain on the military, Zulum stressed that their numerical strength is not sufficient to secure every vulnerable location.
He believes that deploying the Forest Guards, who have been specifically trained for such environments, is a necessary step to protect communities and reverse the trend of insurgency.
'We have to take note that the numerical strength of the military is not enough to cover everywhere. So far so good, two sets of Forest Guards have been trained, therefore one of the solutions that we need to implement immediately is to deploy the trained Forest Guards to most of the locations that are vulnerable. They will protect the forest and communities,' he explained.
Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, who represents the Borno Central Senatorial District, also condemned the killings as a crime against humanity.
He pledged his legislative support to the governor’s efforts to restore peace and security throughout Borno State.