Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has called for a unified regional front against Boko Haram and terrorism in the Sahel, urging countries in the region to strengthen intelligence sharing, border security and joint counter-terrorism operations.
Zulum made the call on Saturday while hosting a high-level security retreat in Maiduguri, where representatives of Sahel countries and ambassadors gathered to deliberate on coordinated strategies to tackle terrorism, insurgency and other security challenges confronting the region.
Key Highlights
Zulum calls for a unified Sahel front against Boko Haram and terrorism.
Borno Governor seeks stronger intelligence sharing and border security.
Zulum says military action alone cannot defeat terrorism in the Sahel.
Countries urged to strengthen joint stabilisation and humanitarian programmes.
Chad’s ambassador warns terrorists exploit gaps between regional security arrangements.
Officials call for stronger cooperation among Nigeria, Sahel countries and the MNJTF.
The retreat, held at the conference hall of the Musa Usman Secretariat, further highlighted Maiduguri’s emerging role as a centre for regional dialogue on counter-terrorism and stabilisation efforts.
Zulum, who has consistently advocated a comprehensive approach to addressing insecurity, used the gathering to call for a united regional front against terrorist organisations, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP).
Drawing from Borno’s long experience with insurgency, the governor maintained that military operations alone would not be sufficient to defeat terrorism and address the humanitarian crisis and mass displacement affecting communities across the Sahel.
He advocated a multifaceted strategy combining sustained military operations with non-kinetic measures, including deradicalisation, rehabilitation, reintegration and humanitarian development.
## Zulum Seeks Stronger Intelligence Sharing
Zulum also stressed the need for greater intelligence sharing, effective community-based border management and joint stabilisation programmes among countries in the region.
“While our armed forces continue their brave operations, we must enhance intelligence sharing, community-based border management, and joint stabilisation initiatives alongside the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF),” he said.
Earlier, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Sola Enikanolaiye, called for stronger regional cooperation in the fight against terrorism, stressing the need for governments to address the underlying causes of insecurity in the Sahel.
He said a coordinated regional response was essential to confronting evolving security threats and preventing terrorist groups from exploiting gaps in national and regional security arrangements.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dunoma Umara, said the Sahel’s historical, cultural and economic ties with Nigeria made stability in the region critical to the country’s national security and economic prosperity.
According to him, instability in neighbouring countries has direct implications for Nigeria, particularly in the areas of cross-border crime, terrorism, displacement and economic disruption.
## Chad Warns Against Regional Security Divisions
Also speaking, the Ambassador of Chad to Nigeria, Brah Mahamat, urged countries in the region to demonstrate collective resolve in confronting insecurity.
Mahamat warned that differences among regional institutional groupings should not undermine cooperation against a common security threat.
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“Although we belong to different institutional groupings, this should in no way impede our common security. Let us be clear: the enemy cares little whether we belong to CEMAC, ECOWAS or the AES. Its aim is to continue slipping across our borders, exploiting the operational limitations we have imposed upon ourselves,” he said.
The retreat provided a platform for participating countries and diplomatic representatives to exchange perspectives on the changing security landscape in the Sahel and explore ways to strengthen cross-border cooperation.
The discussions also reinforced calls for a regional security architecture that combines military coordination with intelligence sharing, border security, community engagement, humanitarian assistance and long-term development.
## Borno’s Experience In Counter-Insurgency
For Borno State, which has borne the brunt of Boko Haram insurgency for more than a decade, the gathering offered an opportunity to leverage its experience in counter-insurgency, recovery and reconstruction to contribute to wider regional efforts to restore peace and stability.
The governor’s call comes amid continuing security challenges across parts of the Sahel, where terrorist groups and armed organisations have exploited porous borders and weak security coordination to operate across national boundaries.
Zulum maintained that closer cooperation among countries would be essential to building a more effective regional response to terrorism and its humanitarian consequences.
