Boko Haram weakened, not defeated – Northern governors chairman

Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya, the chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, has stated that Boko Haram insurgents have been weakened but not completely defeated. During the forum's 13th meeting in Maiduguri, Yahaya highlighted insecurity as one of the major challenges still faced by northern Nigeria. He noted that while attacks by the group persist, banditry and communal clashes are emerging as new threats.

Yahaya expressed concern over the slow progress in major development projects, such as the Mambilla hydropower project, regional railway connections, and broadband expansion, citing persistent insecurity as a hindrance to their implementation. He also pointed out the challenges in healthcare and education, despite some advancements made in these sectors over the past six years.

Yahaya emphasized that the North East Governors’ Forum was established in March 2020 to enable collective action against challenges that individual states could not address alone. These challenges include insecurity, banditry, cross-border crime, poor infrastructure, inadequate power supply, and the humanitarian crisis. Despite progress in infrastructure, electricity, economic development, human capital development, and security, Yahaya described the Kolmani oil exploration project as a significant opportunity for the region, hoping it would eventually lead to oil production, job opportunities, and increased government revenue.