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Sambisa Forest: The quest for peace, socio-economic stability in Lake Chad basin

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Sambisa Forest: The quest for peace, socio-economic stability in Lake Chad basin

By Zagazola Makama

Recently, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno, once again breaks the jinx when he drew the attention of the international community to the urgent need to reclaim Sambisa Forest which is on the verge of extinction.

Zulum made the call while delivering a speech few weeks ago in New York at the United Nations High-Level Segment Roundtable with the theme: “Forest-based solutions to the triple planetary crises: A focus on people, science, technology, and finance.”

One wondered why the governor of the war-ravaged state would premise his presentation to the International community on Sambisa forest while his people at home are grappling with myriads of social, economic, security and humanitarian challenges.

The governor’s action is not far fetch considering the importance of Sambisa forest to the social and economic survival of not only Borno State but to a larger extent the whole of northern Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

Arguably, reinvigorating Sambisa forest will propel Zulum administration’s social and economic development programmes, provides livelihood, enhance peace restoration and dignified resettlement of displaced persons, as well as preserve biodiversity, fauna and flora, protect the environment and mitigate impacts of climate change.

Commenting on the deflating forest resources, Mr Aminu Ibrahim, an environmentalist, said urgent intervention are necessary to protect the forest from further destruction.

Ibrahim commended Zulum over his commitment to reclaim Sambisa forest, protect the environment and preserve the ecosystem.

He noted that the governor’s plea was in a right direction which called for the support of all to address the menace.

As simply put by Ibrahim, we can only appreciate Zulum’s bold steps by understanding the strategic importance of Sambisa forest to the environment and lives of the people in northern Nigeria.

The Sambisa Forest, located in Borno State in North-East Nigeria, covering an area of about 518 square kilometers. The British colonial administration gazetted the forest as a reserve in 1958, and In 1977, the area was re-gazetted as a National Game Reserve for the preservation of rare animals. It’s abundant greenery was home to various species of wild animals.

In 1991, the Borno state government incorporated Sambisa into a national park, thus upgrading its status. And during the 1970s and 80s, Sambisa forest attracted tourists from far and near.

Presently, the story has changed following the invasion of the Sambisa by the Boko Haram insurgents since escalation of the crisis in 2013.

The famous tourist attraction forest now provides a space for the organisational, operational, logistical and technical infrastructure of Boko Haram, including command units, armoury, training grounds, detention and execution camps, landmines and artisanal bomb making factories as well as settlements. It is also the major destination for the insurgents’ victims of abduction and detention.

From 2014 to date, Sambisa forest has been a major front of counter-insurgency operations by Nigerian military which culminated in gross destruction of its resources. Despite the significant successes made by the Nigerian security forces in gaining entrance and reclaiming the forest, some parts of it are still under strong control of the Boko Haram insurgents.

Sambisa forest in comparison to other areas of Nigeria, is the most strategically auspicious base for the pattern of asymmetric guerrilla warfare deployed by Boko Haram. It is extremely sparse and expansive, and therefore very difficult to govern.

It is also located within a trans-territorial area characterised by porosity of borders with Cameroon, Chad and Niger Republics.

Paradoxically, the abandonment of the management of Sambisa forest sequel to the takeover by Boko Haram insurgents, resulted to the gradual disappearance of animals, destruction of biodiversity and ecosystem.

To reverse the tide and ensure effective utilisation of the forest resources to aid sustainable Recovery, Rehabilitation and Resettlement programmes, governor Zulum advocated for the revival of the Sambisa.

Zulum said that: “Borno State has been significantly impacted by the crisis of insecurity caused by Boko Haram insurgency which has led to widespread displacement of communities, destruction of infrastructure, and loss of livelihoods.

“The conflict has also exacerbated environmental degradation, including deforestation and loss of biodiversity in our major forest (Sambisa Forest), further exacerbating the vulnerabilities of our region.

“The loss of forest cover is resulting soil erosion, reduced water availability, loss of biodiversity and increased vulnerability to climate change impacts”.

Zulum noted that the shrinking of Lake Chad, a vital source of water and livelihood for millions of people in the region, is a direct consequence of climate change resulting from the incessant destruction of Sambisa forests.

The governor lamented that deforestation in Borno State has been driven by a combination of factors, including population growth, agricultural expansion, unsustainable land use practices, need for energy and the impact of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Zulum also some of measures adopted by the Borno state government to reclaim the forest to include rehabilitation and restoration, community engagements, monitoring and evaluation, as well as collaboration with development partners.

Corroborating Zulum, Mr James Audu, a conservationist, said considering Sambisa’s vast area of landscape traversing many territories and large scale destruction of forest resources, urgent international commitment is imperative to address one of the worst global environmental disasters triggered by prolonged conflict in the Sahel region.

Zagazola Makama, is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad Region.

Sambisa Forest: The quest for peace, socio-economic stability in Lake Chad basin

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Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction

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Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction

By: Michael Mike

A former coordinator of the Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, has called on the political class across party lines to support ongoing security efforts of the federal government.

Onaiwu in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday noted that insecurity is colour blind, has no party affiliation and was religious neutral, therefore, the need for politicians to eschew partisan slant on security matters.

He cautioned that failure by the political elite to support the fight against insecurity leading to several ungoverned spaces could disrupt elections, stressing that except there is a country, then elections are guaranteed.

The former NGF coordinator particularly commended the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his coordination and strategic efforts in streamlining security policies and engagements in tackling insecurity.

According to him, the recent delivery of military hardware by the United States Government to Nigeria is a demonstration that the NSA was working and his recent foray to the U.S. is yielding the desired results.

“The season requires patriots and this means that irrespective of party affiliations, every politician worth his name needs to support ongoing security efforts as coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

“Insecurity is colour blind, has no party affiliation, it is religious blind and those not respect societal status. Therefore, Nigerians, especially our political class, should lend their support, proffer solutions and galvanise the people to back the government’s security initiatives.

“Only on Tuesday, the federal government received critical military hardware from the United States Government. This is cheering and it shows that the NSA’s recent visit to the United States and the subsequent hosting of delegations in the country is bearing the desired results.

“Also, renewed military and police onslaughts against terrorists and bandits show that the federal government is taking the fight to those who are intent on denying us our peace and well-being.

“The least we can do as citizens is to support the government, provide real time intelligence from our communities and do not engage in fake news on social media against government’s efforts,” Onaiwu stated.

He further called on governors to match the energy of the federal government by supporting the NSA to address the various security challenges in their states as well as continued logistics and equipment to the military and police.

Ex-NGF Coordinator Onaiwu urges support for NSA security direction

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Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case

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Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case

By: Michael Mike

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, is facing possible committal to prison following contempt proceedings initiated over an alleged failure to comply with a Federal High Court order relating to the abduction and disappearance of Mr. John Chukwuemeka Anozie.

The action was instituted by legal counsel to Mr. Anozie’s wife, Mr. Vincent Adodo, who accused the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the IGP of willfully disobeying a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja, on September 24, 2025.

In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/865/2025 between Mrs. Nnenna Anozie v. Inspector General of Police, Justice Binta Nyako ordered the IGP to produce for prosecution operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) alleged to have abducted Mr. Anozie from his Lekki residence in Lagos on June 15, 2017.

The court also directed the police authorities to forward the investigation report and legal advice on the matter to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation for appropriate action.

The court further awarded ₦2 million in damages against the IGP for failing to respond to a Freedom of Information request submitted by Mrs. Anozie seeking details of investigations into her husband’s disappearance.

The SARS operatives listed in the judgment include officers attached to the former SARS unit in Akwuzu, Anambra State, who were accused of involvement in the alleged abduction.

According to court documents, despite being served with the judgment in October 2025, the IGP has neither complied with the orders of the court nor paid the damages awarded. This development prompted Mrs. Anozie’s legal team to initiate contempt proceedings by serving the IGP with Form 48 (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order) and Form 49 (Notice of Committal to Correctional Centre).

The applicant is now seeking an order of court committing the IGP to Kuje Correctional Centre until he complies fully with the judgment.

The motion for contempt has been scheduled for hearing on February 9, 2025, before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued an official response to the contempt proceedings.

Court Threatens Contempt Action Against IGP Over Alleged Disobedience in Anozie Abduction Case

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VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem

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VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem

Urges African entrepreneurs to close ranks to fully harness continent’s huge potentials

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has lauded the transformative impact of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) on the global entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem that has raised over $1.5 billion dollars and created over 30,000 direct jobs in 20 years.

He, however, urged African entrepreneurs to close ranks in order to fully harness the continent’s huge potentials, leveraging MIT’s resource mobilization network and job creation opportunities.

The Vice President made the remarks on Wednesday when he received a delegation from Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025-2026 led by MIT’s Executive Director for the Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, Dina Sherif, on a courtesy visit at the presidential villa.

Senator Shettima called for unity of purpose among African professionals and entrepreneurs, saying “Africa is the new frontier and future belongs to the continent but its people must unite to transform potentials into tangible results that impact lives and livelihoods.

“Africa is blessed with enormous human and material resources but its people must fuse into one to benefit from the tremendous opportunities that abound across the continent,” he added.

He disclosed that Nigeria President Bola Tinubu is daring to leverage available opportunities to transform the entire economy, noting that “President Tinubu is not afraid of taking bold decisions that will reposition Nigeria’s economy and better the lives of the livelihoods of the people.”

Earlier in her remarks, the leader of the delegation, Sherif, said the delegation was at the Presidential Villa to brief the Vice President on the activities of MIT’s Kuo Sharper Centre for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, assuring that the Centre is dedicated to “fueling the engine of entrepreneurship across the world”.

She noted that the team was in Nigeria in view of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship programme, which, according to her, has helped to entrench the spirit of entrepreneurship across the continent.

Sherif underscored the significance of collaboration among African startups, noting that Nigeria is a leading country, as evidenced in the progress recorded by startups across the continent.

She further assured of improved support for African-based startups from the centre through its various initiatives.

Also present at the meeting with the Vice President were the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs. Zubaida Umar, and some fellows of the Kuo Sharper Foundry Fellowship 2025 – 2026 Session across Africa.

VP Shettima Lauds Massachusetts Tech Institute’s Impact On Global Innovation Ecosystem

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