Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has raised fresh concerns over the growing sophistication of insurgents in Nigeria’s North-East, revealing that they are now leveraging advanced technology in their operations—outpacing the Nigerian Army in critical combat equipment.
Speaking on News Central TV’s One-on-One with Zulum, the governor expressed deep worry about the lack of modern equipment at the disposal of Nigerian troops, stating that the military is under-equipped to match the evolving tactics of insurgents.
“The Army doesn’t have the necessary equipment on ground to fight the insurgents, and I want to also inform you that, right now, the insurgents are using technology to fight the soldiers on ground,” Zulum said.
He disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff recently informed him of efforts to acquire 32 drones to strengthen surveillance and strike capabilities. “Each drone is costing about $5.5 million. So why can’t we pull resources together to buy these drones and prioritize insecurity?” he questioned.
Zulum further urged both federal and state governments to adopt a united front in tackling insecurity, calling for strategic investments in military hardware and software. He advocated for direct government-to-government procurement deals to avoid inefficiencies and corruption that often plague contractor-led purchases.
“If we want to do right, we can put ourselves together and this madness will end within six months,” he said. “We need not politicize insecurity—the Federal Government needs to listen to us.”
The governor’s comments come amid persistent security challenges in the North-East region, despite ongoing military efforts.
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