•Sympathizers in government, military aid Boko Haram – Zulum
•How informants sabotage nation’s war plans – Amadi
•Why politicians help insurgents – Ufeli
•Insecurity spreading like cancer under APC, says PDP
PICTURE a mother in Borno, standing in the ashes of her home, razed by Boko Haram. She clutches a faded photo of her children, lost in a brutal attack that left her village in ruins.
What keeps her awake isn’t just grief, it’s the fear that someone in government, perhaps a politician in Abuja, tipped off the killers. Traitors in power, betraying the very people they swore to protect.
In 2012, former President Goodluck Jonathan shocked the nation by warning that Boko Haram had allies within his administration. In 2025, Borno Governor Babagana Zulum echoes this chilling claim, pointing to informants in the military and political circles.
Nigeria’s fight against terrorism is being sabotaged from the inside, eroding trust and fueling chaos. This is the country’s dirty secret.
Betrayal Takes Root
In 2012, Nigeria was reeling from Boko Haram’s relentless attacks; bombings in churches, markets, and schools across the northeast. At a press conference in Abuja, former President Goodluck Jonathan stood before a stunned nation and dropped a bombshell that changed the narrative.
“We have people who are sympathetic to Boko Haram in the executive, in the legislature, and even in the judiciary,” he said.
The revelation sent shockwaves through Nigeria. Citizens demanded names, investigations, action; but none came. No high-profile arrests, no public purge. The silence was deafening, and Boko Haram’s grip tightened, like a weed thriving in neglected soil.
The insurgency grew bolder, attacking villages like Chibok, where 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped in 2014, a wound still raw in the nation’s psyche.
Today, the northeast remains a war zone. The Marte military base attack earlier this year was a gut-punch. Terrorists overran the outpost in hours, displacing 20,000 more people and adding to the 2 million already scattered across Lake Chad’s fringes, according to UN reports.
Over 36,000 deaths have been recorded since 2009, per Amnesty International, with entire communities in Borno, like Ran and Wulgu, reduced to ghost towns. The betrayal runs deeper than bullets; it’s in the corridors of power.
Experts and commentators point fingers at government insiders, painting a grim picture of a nation undermined.
How Insiders Sabotage Nigeria’s Security Efforts — Amadi
Dr. Sam Amadi, Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, lays out the crisis.
“There have been compromises of their war plans and strategies. Even when Jonathan was in office, there were reports about efforts being compromised through what appeared to be internal actions by officials who were either sympathetic or who were not aligned with the crisis response. The Nigerian state feels like a victim or captive to religious and ethnic interests, which complicates the war against Boko Haram. Some individuals who ought to be named and shamed may enjoy a high level of religious and ethnic protection,” he said.
Amadi tied the ongoing failures to systemic issues: “The state’s inefficiency lets non-state actors thrive. The Nigerian state is inefficient and lacks autonomy. In political science, we talk about an inefficient state as one that cannot exert its authority against non-state actors or criminal elements.”
Why Politicians Aid Boko Haram’s Agenda — Ufeli
Dr. Evans Ufeli, a Policy and Development lawyer, highlights chilling evidence of betrayal.
“Just a few days ago, I saw on the internet where one of the soldiers was caught with ammunition he had smuggled for the insurgents, and he confessed to the offense. We have politicians who are also doing this to score political points and to serve different interests at the expense of the Nigerian state, and that is quite unfortunate.
We find dubious people in our midst who are aiding and abetting crime and criminality, joining forces with evil to wreak damage in our society. It’s disconcerting to say the least. The government must not just stop at talking about these issues; we have to go after them. The sponsors of Boko Haram who’ve been named, what has happened to them? How far along is the case?” Ufeli asked.
He demanded action: “We are supposed to be serious, yet you don’t see prosecution going on. The NSA has demonstrated a lack of capacity to manage the situation, as every attack has been successful. The president must think deeper and directly engage with the soldiers and the governor himself.”
Nigerians Must Ask Questions — Okikiolu
Kayode Okikiolu of Channels TV mourns the lack of progress: “It looks like we’re back full circle to where we were before 2015. And I keep saying that, what are the gains then if, as you said earlier on, the governor says in Marte there’s just one community standing? That’s not an ungoverned space. These are questions that Nigerians, particularly the people of Borno state, need answers to.”
APC Fails Woefully on Security — PDP
Debo Ologunagba, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s publicity secretary, also spoke to Saturday Vanguard, contrasting past and present.
He stated, “”President Jonathan made deliberate efforts, including reaching out to foreign experts, because he understood the need for collaboration. Progress was being made at the time. Under the PDP government, the President was able to contain and push them back. Now, the situation has spiralled out of control. This government has failed in its primary duty, which is the security and welfare of the people, as outlined in Section 14, Subsection 2B of the Constitution.
This government has failed, and we must acknowledge that. If Governor Zulum can tell the President to listen to military professionals rather than political sycophants, that speaks volumes. He’s reported that the entire Marte Local Government has been deserted, with over 20,000 people displaced to refugee camps. He’s concerned about the potential for terrorists to recruit from these camps.”
Ologunagba reinforced the critique, adding: “First, the insurgency and banditry were, by the APC’s own admission in 2014, imported from neighbouring countries to influence the 2015 elections. What action did the APC government under President Buhari take? Under the PDP, the crisis was contained to the North-East. Today, banditry has spread to almost every part of the country. Benue is in turmoil. Plateau is struggling. Zamfara is a challenge. Sokoto is in trouble. Katsina is facing issues. Niger State is another hotspot. It’s like a cancer, spreading uncontrollably.”
The betrayal stings because it’s personal. Nigerians feel abandoned by a government riddled with informants, a system that seems to protect the guilty. The question burns: who’s feeding the enemy?
Zulum’s Explosive Revelation
During the week, Governor Babagana Zulum, fresh from a visit to Marte and an audience with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, appeared on News Central’s Breakfast Central program and echoed Jonathan’s 2012 warning, confirming Nigeria’s worst fears about internal sabotage.
“We have informants and collaborators within the Nigerian Armed Forces, within the politicians, and within the communities. What we shall do is to strengthen our intelligence and to deal with them ruthlessly. Let’s remove contractocracy. In six months, we can put an end to this madness. We need not politicise insecurity,” he declared during the News Central interview.
“I commend you people for your resilience and staying in your communities despite all odds. We will continue to deploy more security personnel, including civilian JTF and hunters to ensure you are protected. We are hopeful that everything will be fine, but ensure you remain in your communities,” he told residents during a visit to Marte, encouraging community resilience.
“We cannot maintain one standing village; that means we lost a whole local government area to insurgents. It is very obnoxious, and I think we shall not allow this to happen again,” Zulum stated in Marte, addressing the crisis after a Boko Haram attack displaced thousands.
Social Media Reactions
While the crowd in Marte gasped, social media buzzed, and X exploded with reactions, amplifying the shock. Prominent voices joined the outcry. Aisha Yesufu, activist firebrand, tweeted, “Traitors in power? No wonder we’re bleeding!”
Kemi Olunloyo, an influencer, posted, “Zulum’s got guts, but will Abuja listen?”
Senator Shehu Sani, outspoken former federal lawmaker, demanded, “Investigate now, or Nigeria’s done!”
This is the moment Nigeria’s suspicions become reality. The enemy isn’t just hiding in the bush; they’re in government offices, shaking hands, signing deals, sabotaging the fight. It’s a gut-punch that leaves the nation reeling, demanding answers.
The Messy Fallout
Zulum’s revelation, echoing Jonathan’s 2012 warning, ignites a firestorm. The Tinubu administration issues vague promises of “reviews,” but skepticism runs high.
The public’s trust in government is waning, with X buzzing with outrage and calls for reform. Nigerians demand better vetting of officials, stronger intelligence, and an end to corruption, but the challenges are daunting. The insurgency’s spread; now plaguing Benue, Plateau, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, and Niger, highlights the government’s failures although they didn’t start now.
Over 20,000 displaced in Marte alone this year, per local NGOs, and the surrender of over 30,000 insurgents hasn’t stopped the violence. The solutions sound simple, but the rot runs deep.
Amadi connects the dots to systemic issues such as religious and ethnic interests, which complicate the war against Boko Haram. Ufeli demands accountability.
“The government must not just stop at talking about these issues; we have to go after them. The sponsors of Boko Haram who’ve been caught but not named – what has happened to them? How far is the case? The NSA has demonstrated a lack of capacity to manage the situation, as every attack has been successful. The president must think deeper and directly engage with the soldiers and the governor himself,” Ufeli stated.
Meanwhile, Ologunagba continues to slams the Tinubu administration:
“This government has failed in its primary duty, which is the security and welfare of the people, as outlined in Section 14, Subsection 2B of the Constitution. First, the insurgency and banditry were, by the APC’s own admission in 2014, imported from neighbouring countries to influence the 2015 elections. What action did the APC government under President Buhari take in their years? It’s like a cancer, spreading uncontrollably.”
The outrage grows, but the question lingers: can Nigeria root out its traitors when the system itself seems compromised?
A Call to Fight Back
The truth is brutal: Boko Haram is only half the battle. The real enemy lurks within; traitors in Nigeria’s government, leaking secrets, sabotaging the fight, according to Zulum.
Borno is a graveyard, with villages like Marte reduced to one standing community. Plateau, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, and Niger are battlegrounds, with banditry spreading like wildfire. The numbers are staggering: 36,000 dead, 2 million displaced, and no end in sight, per Amnesty International and local NGOs. Nigeria can’t win until it exposes these snakes.
The path forward demands bold action. Stronger vetting of officials could weed out informants, ensuring only loyal hands steer the ship. Robust intelligence oversight could plug the leaks, preventing troop plans from reaching terrorists. Prosecutions could break the cycle of impunity, sending a message that betrayal won’t be tolerated.
But these reforms face hurdles: ethnic and religious loyalties often shield the guilty, and corruption festers in Nigeria’s political swamp. The government must find the will to act, but it can’t do it alone. Nigerians must rise up. Write your lawmakers, flood X with your anger, march in the streets if you’re bold enough. Transparency is the nation’s machete; accountability is Nigeria’s shield.
Picture that Borno mother, sifting through the ashes of her life: she’s every Nigerian, waiting for justice. Nigeria won’t heal until we unmask these traitors. So, let’s rattle the big shots with a bit of sass and a lot of heart, because if we don’t fight for change, who will?
(Vanguard)
