By: Muhammad Goni
Our attention has been drawn to a malicious and misleading publication by Sahara Reporters, promoted by Omoyele Sowore, where the writer alleged that His Excellency, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, had allocated “billions of naira to terrorists” under the Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) programme. Nothing closer to the truth.
No doubt the writer discredited himself from good understanding of the DDR which is a Federal Government initiative under Nigeria’s national security framework. Governor Zulum neither design the policy nor controls its implementation or funding.
Any attempt short of this, is a twist or attributing the programme to Borno State Government as a scheme is mischievous, dishonest, and a deliberate effort to tarnish the name of the performing governor.
It is not surprising, the platform and its publisher have built a reputation on blackmail, propaganda, and outright misinformation against credible leaders.
This latest attack on Prof. Zulum fits a long pattern of gutter journalism aimed at silencing voices of integrity.
It is categorically noted that Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum has never, and will never, fund terrorism in any guise.
His record is one of rebuilding lives, resettling displaced persons, restoring education and healthcare, enhancing security, and driving economic recovery across Borno State. These are the legacies of leadership that no amount of fabricated stories can erase.
It’s proudly reported that individuals and groups and institutions within and outside Nigeria have hailed Governor Zulum over support to non-kinetic-approach projects and programmes to solve the massive humanitarian crisis concomitant to the Boko Haram/ISWAP terror.
It should be noted that a governor in Nigeria can not unilaterally receive terrorists, run a de-radicalization programme and reintegrate them. That act is itself terrorism. In this case, these surrendered fighters surrender to the Nigerian military under the Operation Safe Corridor (OSC).
OSC programme was launched in 2016 by the Federal Government. It was based on the recommendations of the 2013 Boko Haram dialogue committee set up by President Jonathan. It was a platform for repented terrorists or those who wanted to give up arms to turn themselves over.
The programme entailed preliminary investigations in military facilities before targeted persons are finally handed over to the state government, on behalf of the FG. Again, they go through another round of profiling before their exact de-radicalization and rehabilitation programs are prescribed.
A lot of these people were only associated to the terrorist groups. As such, they require different rehabilitation programs and approaches.
There are cases of forcefully recruited young men and women; who, even when armed and deployed to fight, did it more under duress than ideology. Others were recruited as cooks, errand boys and menial laborers. They also share neither ideology nor creed.
Some of them were seized from their communities and herded into forced marriages. From these forced marriages, a lot have given birth. These boys and girls grown up to join the ranks of their fathers, if not rescued. These unsuspecting children need to be rescued for their good and the country.
It worth mentioning the stride made by Zulum’s administration, which had procured and distributed 481 operational vehicles to the military, Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other law enforcement agencies, Civilian JTF, hunters and vigilantes.
Similarly, Zulum’s administration has constructed and allocated 280 housing units to security agents
It is remarkable to acknowledged that Zulum had announced the donation of N300 million to support the families of soldiers who lost their lives in the ongoing battle against Boko Haram insurgents
This announcement was made in January 2025 while speaking to journalists after attending the 2025 MNJT operation Desert sanity 2 medal parade held in Njemena, Chad Republic.
Governor Zulum had also donated another₦100 million to support the families of soldiers killed and those wounded in the ongoing fight against insurgency in the North-East region.
The donation was made in June 2025 during an Eid El-Kabir Sallah luncheon, jointly hosted by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, at Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri.
Also in February 2025 Zulum has donated N30 million to the family of the late Army Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Ebisingha Alari. Lt. Col. Alari lost his life in the line of duty during a military operation against Boko Haram insurgents in the Timbuktu Triangle.
Governor Zulum is a national asset whose leadership continues to inspire hope beyond Borno. He deserves protection from media misdoings especially whose only business is cheap sensationalism.
We advised Sahara Reporters to embrace the ethics of responsible journalism rather than slander. Nigeria is watching, and posterity will not forgive those who trade lies for relevance.
Muhammad Goni Maiduguri
muhammadgoni@gmail.com
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