By Chinasaokwu Helen Okoro
The governor of Borno State in northeastern Nigeria has raised concerns over a resurgence of Boko Haram, warning that the jihadist group is regaining ground after launching a string of attacks and capturing parts of the region.
Governor Babagana Zulum appealed for greater military support, stressing that troops currently battling the insurgency need urgent reinforcements.
Despite these warnings, the Nigerian government has sought to reassure the public, insisting that the overall security situation has improved over the past year and a half.
Borno has long been the epicenter of Boko Haram’s violent campaign, which has lasted over 15 years, displaced more than two million people, and resulted in over 40,000 deaths.
At its peak in 2015, Boko Haram held large swaths of territory in the state before being pushed back by Nigerian forces.
The group gained international infamy in 2014 after abducting more than 270 schoolgirls from Chibok, a town in Borno.After a period of relative calm, the militants have resumed attacks on army bases, police outposts, and rural communities.
In January, fighters from the breakaway faction Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) ambushed and killed at least 20 soldiers, and another attack during the same period left 40 farmers dead.
Governor Zulum expressed deep concern over the increasing frequency of these assaults, saying that communities are being targeted and residents kidnapped almost daily.
Speaking to national security officials, he warned that Borno is “losing ground” to the extremists.Security experts attribute the worsening situation to the redeployment of troops to northwestern Nigeria, where they are tackling widespread banditry and abductions, leaving fewer forces in the northeast.
The situation has also been complicated by Niger’s decision to withdraw its troops from the regional coalition fighting the jihadists.
Analyst Hamisu Sani told the BBC that while eradicating Boko Haram is difficult, it is achievable with the right resources.“No matter how much they are weakened, they always manage to regroup,” he said.
“The key is to eliminate them completely — and that’s possible with proper military support.”
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