North-East Cannot Declare Victory Over Boko Haram Yet, Yahaya Says

Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya has warned that Boko Haram has been weakened but not defeated, saying continued attacks, banditry and communal clashes remain serious threats to the North-East.

Yahaya, who chairs the Northern States Governors’ Forum, made the assessment during the forum’s 13th meeting in Maiduguri, Borno State.

His warning is significant because it comes after years of military operations, counter-insurgency campaigns and regional cooperation aimed at dismantling Boko Haram’s territorial and operational capacity.

“Boko Haram has been weakened but not defeated,” Yahaya said, while noting that attacks on communities still occur.

A CHANGING SECURITY THREAT

The governor also pointed to banditry and communal clashes as additional threats.

ValidViewNetwork reports, this distinction matters because a reduction in insurgent capability does not necessarily mean that communities have returned to normal life.

Many residents displaced by violence have yet to return to their communities, while insecurity continues to affect farming, education, healthcare, trade and infrastructure.Yahaya argued that the region’s security challenges cannot be treated separately from its development problems.

He identified unfinished projects, including the Mambilla hydropower project, railway connectivity and broadband expansion, while also urging greater attention to healthcare and education.

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He said the region must ensure that resources such as oil and solid minerals contribute to legitimate economic development rather than criminal activity.

THE WIDER LESSON

The governor’s assessment is more cautious than a declaration of victory. It recognises that counter-insurgency success is measured not merely by the weakening of armed groups but by whether communities can safely return, farms can operate and public institutions can function.

ValidViewNetwork reports, the North-East therefore faces a dual challenge: sustaining security gains while addressing the poverty, unemployment, displacement, education and infrastructure deficits that can create conditions for renewed instability.

For residents, the meaningful test of victory over insurgency is ultimately the restoration of normal life.