BY: NEWS EDITOR, OCTOBER 24, 2025/ 02:12PM

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has called on the Federal Government to conduct an immediate and comprehensive review of Nigeria's air safety and defence mechanisms, following a disturbing incident in which Boko Haram terrorists deployed a drone to attack a military formation in Borno State.

The governor made the call on Friday in Mafa town, expressing grave concern over the emergence of this new threat, which he said signals a dangerous escalation in the capabilities of the terrorist group.

'One thing I want to comment on is the issue of drones. This is frightening. In Dikwa, I was told drones were used. The proliferation of drones, particularly in the hands of non-state actors, is of great concern for the entire country. We have to do something to stop the rampant use of armed drones,' Gov. Zulum said.

The governor emphasized that the incident is not just a concern for Borno State, but a direct threat to national security.

'Our borders need to be strengthened and our airspace needs to be strengthened as well. This is something that we need to address urgently; this is not an issue confined to Borno alone. This is the right time for the security architecture to thoroughly look into strengthening the capability of our airspace to curtail the use of armed drones by terrorists,'he added.

The governor commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their efforts, and urged members of the public to cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information on suspicious activities in their neighbourhoods.

'We are here to commiserate with the victims over what happened yesterday and build the confidence of our people,' he said.

The governor also urged the community to be vigilant and report credible information to the Nigerian Armed Forces.

'I urge the community to be vigilant and report credible information to the Nigerian Armed Forces. The members of the CJTF should also be resilient enough to complement the effort of the Army,' he urged.

He further called for a collaborative effort between the state and federal governments, as well as the military high command, to identify and address gaps in the security architecture.

'Honestly speaking, we have credible intelligence that Mafa will be attacked and have duly been circulated to all relevant authorities. I believe there is need for us to come together, including the state and federal governments, as well as the military high command, to identify the gaps and address them directly.

'I believe there might be sabotage within that has to be identified and addressed. We don't have to blame each other; we have to come together and resolve this situation,' he explained.