Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Wednesday said poor security strategy implementation by the Nigerian Army was responsible for insurgents occupation in many areas of his state.

Zulum spoke in Jos, Plateau State, on Wednesday while delivering a lecture at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies titled, ‘Ungoverned Spaces and Insecurity in the Sahelian Region: Implication for Nigeria’s Domestic Peace and Security.”

The governor said, “In Borno State in 2013, the Nigerian Army decided to close all villages and districts; that they were going to carry out mop operations on the insurgents at the shores of lake Chad.

“Most of the local government areas were deserted by the people. After that, the insurgents took advantage of the absence of the human population to occupy all the territories. Right now in Borno State, ISWAP is collecting ransom and you have to pay them before you pass in some areas. Between 2011 and 2015, Boko Haram destroyed 5,000 classrooms, and 800 municipal villages. We have 50,000 widows and 700,000 IDPs and 200,000 of the IDPs are agile young population.

“These are some of the anomalies we are trying to correct today. Some people think I have come to criticize the Nigerian Army. I’m not. We are talking about implementation strategies, but they (Army) are learning now, but still, we have to be very careful.” In 2017, we almost celebrated the defeat of Boko Haram but today, ISWAP is stronger and more sophisticated.”

The governor identified corruption and tribalism as some of the major problems bedevilling Nigeria.

He also condemned the call for the establishment of state police.

Punch