By Bukar Babagana
Recent remarks made by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on the alleged “loss of ground” to insurgents in Borno State deserve a thoughtful, factual, and balanced response. While his concerns reflect the urgency we all share in securing the region, it is critical that public discourse is based on truth, consistency, and national interest, especially when the lives of our gallant troops and millions of civilians are at stake.
Contrary to suggestions that the military is “losing ground,” the facts speak otherwise. No single Local Government Area (LGA) in Borno State is currently under Boko Haram or ISWAP control. The areas referenced, such as Wulgo, Sabongeri, and Wajiroko, may have witnessed targeted hit-and-run attacks on military formations, but these are isolated and tactical, not evidence of territory lost. These incidents involved no civilian displacement, and no LGA has been overrun. Also, there was no single civilian presence in these locations, only military presence.
What needs to be reiterated is this: tactical setbacks are not strategic defeats. The Nigerian Army under Operation Hadin Kai continues to adapt and respond to evolving threats while holding ground and enabling state development efforts.
The Nigerian troops have conducted multiple operations in Sambisa Forest, resulting in the dislodgment of several Boko Haram enclaves. Notably, in a series of operations, the troops destroyed 13 terrorist hideouts in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State. The cleared locations included Gargash, Bula Musaye, Bula Moruye, Bula Dalo, Landarari, Kote, Yamut, Bomari, Jere, Dipchari, Boroshe, and Darejimal.
One of the most defining successes of the military in the last few years is the mass surrender of over 200,000 Boko Haram fighters, commanders, and their families, a direct result of sustained kinetic and non-kinetic operations in the Lake Chad and Sambisa axis. These surrenders have significantly weakened the enemy’s morale, disrupted recruitment, and curtailed their capacity for large-scale operations.
Operation Hadin Kai, the Nigerian military’s counter-insurgency initiative in the Northeast, has achieved significant successes in neutralizing high-profile terrorist commanders. While comprehensive figures are continually updated, several notable operations underscore the effectiveness of these efforts:
August 16, 2024: An air interdiction in Arina, Southern Tumbuns of Borno State, led to the elimination of five key terrorist commanders: Munzir Arika, Sani Dilla (a.k.a Dan Hausawan Jubillaram), Ameer Modu, Dan Fulani Fari Fari, and Bakoura Arina Chiki, along with over 35 fighters. January 16, 2025: A clearance operation in the Timbuktu Triangle resulted in the neutralization of over 70 terrorist combatants, including three high-ranking commanders: Talha, the Special Forces Commander; Mallam Umar, the Operations Commander; and Abu Yazeed, the Brigade Commander. July 2024: Air strikes targeted ISWAP/JAS terrorists’ hideouts in Kolleram village along Lake Chad, resulting in the deaths of over 30 terrorists, including senior commanders Ali Dawud, Bakura Fallujah, and Mallam Ari.
These operations highlight the ongoing commitment and effectiveness of Operation Hadin Kai in degrading terrorist leadership and operational capabilities in the region.
The Nigerian Air Force and ground troops have eliminated thousands of terrorists, destroyed dozens of camps, and disrupted logistics and training hubs across the Northeast. Clearance operations in Timbuktu Triangle, Sambisa Forest, the Lake Chad fringes, and the Mandara mountains have degraded the enemy’s capabilities.
Complexities Beyond the Battlefield
It is true and acknowledged even by security planners that certain areas like Guzamala remain deserted, while pockets of terrorist activity persist in parts of Abadam, Marte, and the Lake Chad islands. These areas are geographically remote and share porous borders with Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, making them international security flashpoints. No military in the world can mop up such transborder insurgency zones without full collaboration from neighbouring countries. It is a regional challenge, not a local one.
The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which includes troops from Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, continues to work in synergy, but the reality is that security in border regions requires more than just firepower—it requires international diplomacy, regional stability, and border intelligence coordination.
A Dangerous Path: Politicizing Insecurity
Insecurity must never be politicized or used as a point-scoring mechanism. The fight against terrorism is a national war, and every narrative we push, whether from the pulpit, parliament, or government house, has consequences for troop morale, civilian cooperation, and international perception. The Nigerian Armed Forces are not the enemy. They are the enablers of peace, the guardians of the nation, and the backbone of any reconstruction effort.
Consistency in Public Communication Is Key
Governor Zulum, a respected leader and tireless advocate for his people, has on several occasions publicly commended the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for facilitating the return of over one million IDPs to their communities. He has applauded the military’s role in restoring security along critical corridors, opening roads, and securing farmlands for cultivation in 2024. Such testimonies must be upheld with consistency and clarity. It is contradictory and demoralizing to one day praise the military’s sacrifices and, the next day, label the situation as deteriorating without empirical evidence to support such claims. Such inconsistency can confuse the public and embolden adversaries.
The Way Forward
The Nigerian military continues to invest in new strategies, working hand-in-hand with intelligence agencies, air assets, and local community structures. There are no quick fixes in counterinsurgency, especially when dealing with a decentralized, transnational terrorist threat.
However, what remains unwavering is the resolve of our troops to protect the Nigerian state and its people, even at great personal cost.
We call on the Governor and all stakeholders to: Continue to support the Nigerian Armed Forces with logistics, intelligence, and political backing. Avoid public statements that can demoralize troops or misrepresent the operational reality. Collaborate with neighbouring countries for deeper cross-border security. Strengthen local governance and civil-military cooperation, especially in newly resettled communities.
Conclusion
Operation Hadin Kai has not lost ground. It is holding the front, saving lives, and creating the space for governance, reconstruction, and development to thrive. What we need now is unity of purpose, not disunity of narrative. The military will not falter in its duty, but it must not be left to fight this war alone or in vain.
_Bukar Babagana is the Northern Coordinator, Citizens Initiative for Safety Awareness (CISA)_
