Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
ABUJA – Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has issued a stark warning that Nigeria’s security forces are being outmatched by increasingly sophisticated bandits and terrorists who now deploy drones and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to track military movements before striking.
Speaking on Tuesday at the launch of the Kogi State Security Summit and Fundraising event, held at the NAF Conference Centre in Abuja, Governor Zulum declared that conventional counter-insurgency methods had become largely ineffective.
“Bandits and terrorists now deploy advanced drones and artificial intelligence tools on the battlefield to locate troops and military equipment,” he cautioned
The governor called for urgent, collaborative action between citizens and the government to tackle the worsening insecurity, stressing that protecting lives and property cannot be compromised. He demanded periodic upgrades of security equipment, intelligence capabilities, training, and expertise.
“What was regarded as a small conventional matter has transformed into a huge challenge. We must also evolve scientifically and technologically to meet the challenge before it overwhelms the nation,” Zulum declared.
Describing Kogi as a strategic gateway between the North and South, the Borno governor insisted the state needed an upgraded security architecture to guarantee safety, economic growth, and prosperity.
“We need intelligence-driven networks and systems to fight insecurity, because when Kogi suffers, the nation also suffers,” he said.
Governor Zulum promised to provide technical assistance to states grappling with insecurity and urged state governments to equip operatives with better tools — including more operational vehicles, modern drones, and satellite systems — to monitor territory and preempt attacks decisively.
‘We Will Never Negotiate’ – Kogi Governor
In his welcome address, Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo vowed that his administration would never negotiate with criminals.
“Rather than surrender to the antics of bandits and terrorists, the government will invest more in modern surveillance devices and increase support to security agencies to confront challenges head-on,” Ododo said.
The governor, recently honoured by Champion Newspapers Limited with an award for Security and Youth Development, appealed to dignitaries at the event to donate generously. Kogi State is targeting a sum of N500 billion to boost its security architecture, expand coverage, and re-equip security agencies.
The fundraising event was chaired by former Zamfara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, and attracted several All Progressives Congress (APC) governors as well as other eminent personalities from across the country.
