The Borno Stats Governor Babagana Zulum has called for a fully coordinated and large-scale military offensive involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force to dislodge Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters from the Lake Chad region.
Governor Zulum identified the Lake Chad islands—known as the Tumbus—as the most critical safe haven for insurgents, noting that no comprehensive joint operation has ever been launched to fully clear the area.
He was speaking during a courtesy visit by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke to the Governor at the Government House, Maiduguri.
The Governor said “I want to bring to your kind notice that a thorough military operation involving the Navy, Air Force, and Army, specifically aimed at clearing the Tumbus, has never been conducted.”
He said strongholds in the Lake Chad basin must be dismantled for lasting peace.
“If we truly want to bring down insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria, we must confront the challenges in Lake Chad. The area has provided a safe haven for terrorists, and this is our major problem now,” Governor Zulum stated.
He also highlighted two other major insurgent enclaves—the Sambisa Game Reserve and the Mandara Mountains—calling for synchronised military action to address the threats in all locations simultaneously.
Technology Deployment
Governor Zulum urged greater deployment of technology in the theatre, specifically asking the Nigerian Air Force to increase the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), insisting that modern technology remains the key to defeating insurgency.
He further proposed that the Command and Control structures of the military hold a strategic meeting in Maiduguri to harmonise ideas and strengthen joint operational planning.
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Commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his ongoing support to the military, Governor Zulum appealed for increased funding to procure modern hardware necessary to effectively prosecute the counter-insurgency war.
He expressed confidence that with sustained commitment and improved collaboration, insurgency would be decisively defeated.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, praised the leadership style of Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, describing his community-driven reconstruction and reconciliation initiatives as ‘a model for stabilisation efforts in conflict zones across the country.’
Aneke, noted that the “Borno Model” of healing, reintegration, and local ownership has complemented military operations and earned wide respect across the North-East.
He also commended the Governor’s direct interventions that have strengthened the Nigerian Air Force’s posture in Maiduguri—from timely land allocations that eliminated security vulnerabilities to consistent logistical support that enhanced operational efficiency.
“Since assuming my duties, I have directed an increased focus on operational readiness, integration with ground forces, and the intelligent application of airpower to support stabilisation efforts across the North-East,” the Air Marshal said.