Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has openly criticised the administration of President Bola Tinubu, accusing it of complacency in the face of renewed Boko Haram attacks that claimed the lives of eight people on the Damboa-Maiduguri Road on Saturday.
The deadly explosion, which also left seven people severely injured and 14 others with minor wounds, occurred on a major highway linking Maiduguri, the state capital, to Damboa, a hotspot of insurgent activity.
Speaking after the incident, Governor Zulum lashed out at the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, describing him as “naive” and “unaware of the true security situation” in the country.
“I believe the Minister of Information is naive about what is happening in the country. He doesn’t know what is ongoing,” Zulum said.
The governor lamented the hardship faced by residents forced to take long, unsafe routes due to insurgent activities.
“There’s no way people will travel a distance of 700 kilometers to go to Damboa when the actual distance is just 100 kilometers,” he added.
Despite the tragedy, Zulum vowed that his government would not back down in ensuring the safety of the Maiduguri-Damboa route.
His words: “This will not deter us. We shall continue to follow up with security agencies to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.”
He disclosed that he had held discussions with top military officials in Abuja, including the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, and Chief of Air Staff, who assured him of their commitment to the fight against insurgency.
“We are satisfied with the response we received from the service chiefs,” Zulum noted.
Reaffirming his administration’s determination, Zulum declared: “Insha Allah, under my watch, Boko Haram will not regain the strength they once had in Borno State.”
He also pledged continued collaboration with federal authorities and security agencies to address the lingering insecurity.
“I will live up to the expectations of the people of Borno by completely addressing the problem of insecurity,” Zulum assured.
