Abuja, NIGERIA — Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum, has called for a fundamental shift in Nigeria’s security architecture, urging the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and advanced technology to dismantle criminal networks.
Speaking at the Kogi Security Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, the Governor argued that traditional warfare is no longer sufficient against sophisticated modern threats.
Zulum advocated for a transition toward “modern technological warfare,” specifically highlighting the deployment of surveillance drones, biometric tracking, and predictive analytics to pre-empt attacks.
Okay News reports that the Governor, who has managed a decade-long insurgency in Borno, emphasized that robotics and AI are now essential tools in global crime-fighting and must be localized to protect Nigerian communities.
Beyond hardware and high-tech solutions, Zulum stressed that kinetic efforts would be ineffective without addressing the “underlying factors” of crime. He urged state authorities to dedicate substantial funding to poverty alleviation, agricultural development, and infrastructure. “Increasing poverty, climate vulnerabilities, and illiteracy have to be addressed if we want security,” he stated, noting that lack of basic amenities provides fertile ground for criminal recruitment.
The Governor also highlighted the necessity of community ownership in intelligence gathering. He challenged citizens to actively participate in community policing, rather than viewing security as the sole responsibility of uniformed agencies.
Zulum, who was accompanied by Hon. Engr. Bukar Talba, concluded by reminding stakeholders that development is impossible without peace. His call for technological integration mirrors recent efforts by the Federal Government to modernize the Nigeria Police Force and Armed Forces through specialized training and the acquisition of advanced hardware earlier this year.
