A northern governor privately admitted that insurgency may not end soon, warning that overstretched troops, weak firepower, and perverse incentives are undermining Nigeria’s fight against insecurity.
A northern governor has admitted in a private conversation that Nigeria’s fight against insurgency and banditry may not end soon, citing overstretched troops, inadequate manpower, and perverse incentives within the system.
The governor, who spoke candidly but off the record, said President Bola Tinubu had shown commitment by approving military requests and providing funds, while National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu was offering critical support. “To be fair to President Bola Tinubu, he has done a lot and continues to do more in this fight. Anything the military requests, he approves. He funds them and wants this thing to end,” he noted.
Yet, the attacks persist. “This thing may not end soon. The troops are trying, but they are overstretched. Many have been in the battlefront for too long. They are exhausted. And the people they are facing have heavy weapons too,” he admitted.
He stressed that while insurgents were being killed, more were joining, replenishing their ranks. Local vigilantes armed with pump-action rifles, he said, were no match for bandits wielding AK-47s.
Calling for “massive recruitment into the Military and Police,” he warned that training new recruits could take at least 18 months before they are combat-ready. He also raised concerns that allowances given to security operatives had turned conflict into an unintended source of livelihood.
He said, “Sometimes operations are planned with full agreement and funding, only for them to be postponed without clear reasons. Meanwhile, villagers flee, kidnappers collect ransoms, and bandits regroup.”
While suggesting state police as a possible solution, he acknowledged it remained controversial. His final words carried a heavy resignation: “This thing may not end soon.”
The governor’s remarks underscore the grim reality of Nigeria’s security challenges—fatigue, corruption, and manpower shortages threatening to prolong the conflict indefinitely.
Does the Governor not have a name or he is afraid to talk and be quoted ,?