Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has warned that Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province remain persistent security threats in the sub-region, urging security chiefs to strengthen collaboration and develop practical solutions to insurgency.
Fintiri spoke on Thursday while declaring open a two-day meeting of federal and state security administrators in Yola.
He was represented by his deputy, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta.
The governor said insurgents had continued to exploit rural terrain, asymmetric tactics and cross-border vulnerabilities despite military gains against their conventional capabilities.
“While our gallant armed forces have significantly degraded their conventional capabilities, these insurgents continue to exploit vast rural terrains, asymmetric tactics, and cross-border vulnerabilities to strike at soft targets,” he said.
He cautioned against declaring victory prematurely, adding that emerging security threats posed risks to the region’s socio-economic development.
“However, let me speak with political candour: we cannot afford the luxury of premature victory speeches. Furthermore, we must confront emerging threats that threaten our socio-economic fabric,” Fintiri said.
The governor argued that security went beyond weapons and military operations, stressing the importance of grassroots engagement, social justice and inclusive governance.
He said the state’s decision to create seven additional emirates and chiefdoms was informed by the need to strengthen local administration and community participation.
Fintiri also warned that insurgents were exploiting digital platforms to recruit vulnerable youths and spread misinformation.
He urged the Federal Government to modernise border security through advanced surveillance technology, drone coverage, joint patrols and the establishment of one-stop border posts to tackle illegal migration, arms proliferation and smuggling.
“We need the deployment of advanced surveillance technology, drone coverage, joint border patrols, and the expedited establishment of One-Stop Border Posts to control illegal trans-border migration, arms proliferation, and smuggling,” he said.
The governor called for increased funding for security agencies to improve their operational capacity, equipment and personnel welfare.
“Our frontline officers, the Police, the Military, the Civil Defence, the DSS, and Customs are doing heroic work under difficult conditions. However, their operational funding, tactical equipment, and welfare packages must be significantly upgraded by the Federal Government,” he said.
He also called for stronger inter-agency cooperation, saying rivalry among security services and the disconnect between intelligence gathering and field operations must be addressed.
“The operational disconnect between intelligence gatherers and field tactical teams must end. Victory belongs to unity, not institutional ego,” he said.
Fintiri described Adamawa’s hosting of the meeting as evidence of improved stability in the state, noting that such gatherings had previously faced security-related concerns in the North-East.
He urged the security administrators to move beyond speeches and develop practical strategies to address the region’s security challenges.
Among the proposals he highlighted was the adoption of unified digital freight and transit tracking platforms across states and national transport corridors to curb illegal checkpoints, track suspicious cargo and secure trade routes.
The governor also announced the donation of 300 motorcycles and 16 security vehicles to support policing across the state’s 15 chiefdoms and 21 local government areas.
The meeting was attended by security administrators from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.