Former Borno State Governor and Senator, Ali Modu Sheriff, has called on the Federal Government to deepen regional alliances with neighbouring countries Cameroon, Chad, and Niger as a decisive strategy to end the lingering Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Sheriff emphasised that the security crisis is transnational and requires a coordinated regional response. “Even during my tenure, many assumed it was a Borno issue,” he said. “But the truth is that these are problems spilling in from outside our borders.”
Sheriff highlighted Nigeria’s shared land borders with three countries as a major vulnerability. “You can’t have peace in Borno without peace in these neighbouring countries. We need structured partnerships, not just ad hoc military collaborations,” he added.
Reflecting on his time as governor from 2003 to 2011, the former senator explained that insurgents were initially underestimated, and local actors were manipulated under religious pretences by external forces. He noted that the region’s porous borders made it easy for arms and ideology to flow into Nigeria unchecked.
Asked about Nigeria’s economic hardship under the Tinubu administration, Sheriff admitted citizens were in pain but cautioned against blaming a single individual. “President Tinubu didn’t create Nigeria’s problems. He inherited a burden. Let’s support him with constructive solutions,” he stated.
According to recent figures from National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, over 13,000 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters have been neutralised since May 2023, with another 124,000 reportedly surrendering.
