Boko Haram weakened but still a threat, North-East governors say

During its 13th assembly in Maiduguri on Saturday, the North-East Governors' Forum heard from Gombe State Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, who presides over the body. His assessment of regional security noted that while Boko Haram's operational capacity has diminished, attacks persist across North-East communities, indicating an ongoing rather than eliminated danger.

New security pressures have emerged alongside the weakened insurgency. Communal conflicts and banditry now represent distinct challenges demanding state-level intervention.

A humanitarian toll has accompanied this violence: thousands of internally displaced persons remain stranded in camps and host communities, prevented by persistent danger from rebuilding their lives in original settlements. Yahaya's remarks encompassed a wider evaluation of forum accomplishments since establishment in 2020.

Beyond immediate security concerns, he flagged infrastructure gaps restricting economic advancement. The Mambilla hydropower scheme, cross-regional rail links, and nationwide broadband deployment were singled out as essential yet unrealized projects needed for growth.

Yet the governor acknowledged meaningful collaborative outputs from the forum. Road rehabilitation efforts, renewable energy programs, the North-East Trade Fair's resurgence, and moves toward regional commerce structures represent concrete gains.

Balancing his acknowledgment of real achievements against formidable unresolved difficulties, Yahaya underscored how persistent insecurity stands as the foremost constraint on unlocking development across the zone.