Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has raised concerns over the growing technological sophistication of insurgents operating in Nigeria’s North-East, warning that the Nigerian military is increasingly disadvantaged due to lack of adequate equipment.
Speaking during an interview on One-on-One with Zulum, a News Central TV programme, the governor revealed that insurgents are now deploying advanced technology to combat Nigerian troops, placing additional strain on the military’s limited capabilities.
“The Army doesn’t have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgents,” Zulum stated. “Right now, the insurgents are using technology to fight the soldiers on ground.”
He disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff recently confided in him about the urgent need for 32 drones to tackle insurgency more effectively.
“Each drone is costing about $5.5 million,” the governor said. “Why can’t we pull resources together to buy these drones and prioritise insecurity?”
Zulum urged both federal and state governments to form a united front in addressing insecurity, emphasising the need to depoliticise the crisis and treat it as a national emergency.
According to him, procurement of military equipment — both hardware and software — should be conducted through direct government-to-government agreements to ensure value for money and avoid inefficiencies linked to third-party contractors.
“If we want to do right, we can put ourselves together and this madness will end within six months,” he asserted.
“Federal and state governments must come together so that we prioritise security. We need not politicise insecurity — the Federal Government needs to listen to us.”
Governor Zulum, whose state remains the epicentre of Nigeria’s over-a-decade-long insurgency, has been an outspoken advocate for security sector reforms and improved military capability.
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