Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State has fired back at the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, describing him as “naive” in response to the Minister’s reported dismissal of renewed Boko Haram threats in the state.
The disagreement stems from Governor Zulum’s recent warning about a resurgence of Boko Haram and ISWAP attacks and kidnappings, which he said were occurring with minimal resistance from security forces.
The governor made the remarks during a security meeting in Maiduguri earlier in the week, sounding an alarm over what he called a “looming situation.”
However, a separate publication claimed that the Minister of Information had dismissed Zulum’s concerns, reportedly downplaying the severity of the threat and suggesting that Boko Haram was not reclaiming ground in the state.
In a swift rebuttal, the Minister’s spokesperson, Rabiu Ibrahim, issued a statement denying the report. He described the headlines quoting the Minister as “sensational” and “deliberately crafted misinformation.” He insisted that the Minister never said, “Ignore Zulum, Boko Haram is not taking over Borno.”
But speaking to journalists on Saturday, Governor Zulum stood by his position and subtly dismissed the Minister’s rebuttal.
“I don’t want to join issues with the Minister of Information,” Zulum said. “But I believe he is naive of what is happening in the country. He doesn’t know what is ongoing.”
The governor emphasized that his warning was not political but a realistic assessment of the current security threats in Borno. He said his message during the Security Council meeting was simply to encourage collaboration between the state government, military, and paramilitary agencies to prevent the situation from escalating.
“We just raised an alarm about the resurgence of Boko Haram. That’s good advice,” he added. “We’re not blaming anyone.”
Governor Zulum also confirmed that he had met with the Chief of Defence Staff and other top military leaders in Abuja to address the crisis directly, stressing his administration’s commitment to fighting the insurgency and safeguarding residents of the state.
Boko Haram and its offshoot ISWAP have waged a deadly insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast for over a decade, displacing millions and claiming thousands of lives. Despite multiple offensives, pockets of insurgents remain active, especially in rural Borno.
Babagana Umara Zulum Mohammed Idris
