Borno Governor hosts Sahel security retreat in Maiduguri

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum hosted a high-level security retreat in Maiduguri, bringing together ambassadors and representatives from Sahel countries to coordinate efforts against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

During the retreat, Zulum emphasized that military operations alone are insufficient to address the regional security crisis. He advocated for a multifaceted strategy combining kinetic military action with intelligence sharing, community-based border management, and joint stabilization initiatives via the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). He also stressed the importance of non-kinetic measures, such as humanitarian intervention, economic development, and deradicalization, reintegration, and rehabilitation programs for repentant insurgents.

Diplomatic participants, including the Chadian Ambassador to Nigeria, Brah Mahamat, highlighted the need for collective resolve, noting that terrorist groups exploit porous borders and institutional gaps between different regional groupings like ECOWAS, CEMAC, and the AES.