Borno Gov raises alarm over possible sabotage after Boko Haram attack

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has raised concerns over a possible internal sabotage following a drone attack by Boko Haram on military personnel in Mafa.

Zulum spoke on Friday during a post-assessment visit to the areas attacked early Thursday, describing the use of drones by the terrorists as “frightening” and a sign of critical gaps in Nigeria’s airspace security.

“Honestly, we had credible intelligence that Mafa would be attacked, and it was circulated to all relevant authorities. Yet, the attack still happened. We need to come together state, federal government, and military high command to identify and address the gaps,” he said.

The governor expressed worry over the growing threat of drones in the hands of non-state actors, stressing that the incident is a national security concern, not just a Borno State issue.

“We must urgently review our borders and airspace. This is the right time for a comprehensive assessment of our security architecture to prevent terrorists from using armed drones,” he added.

Zulum also commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their response to the attack while urging the public to provide credible information on suspicious activities.

Troops of Operation Hadin Kai reportedly killed over 50 terrorists and repelled simultaneous assaults on military positions in Dikwa, Mafa, Gajibo, and Katarko between midnight and 4:00 a.m. on Thursday, according to the Joint Task Force North East.

Lt.-Col. Sani Uba, Media Information Officer of OPHK, said the combined ground and air efforts inflicted “devastating losses” on the terrorists and successfully defended the military locations.