Zulum calls for coordinated military offensive in the Lake Chad

Operation Lake Sanity is a proposed coordinated offensive by the military. Its main target is the insurgent presence along the shores and islands of Lake Chad. Governor Babagana Zulum says this area must be cleared because insurgents there are linked to recent attacks in northern Borno. The operation matters because lasting security requires more than defending individual communities.

Zulum asked military authorities to accelerate preparations backed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He also called for a stronger amphibious command in Baga. That command would help clear waterways and hold strategic positions after the offensive. The governor also requested deployments at Kareto, Baga, and the Sabon Gari–Wajiroko axis.

The article does not give a launch date or troop figure. Zulum said military action should be followed by reconstruction, rehabilitation, and resettlement. The Nigerian Army, under Lieutenant General Waidi Shuaibu, says its wider mission is to restore normalcy and support socio-economic activity. Success would therefore depend on both clearing territory and holding it.

Lake Chad is a large inland lake in Central Africa. Its waters and basin extend across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. This geographic setting makes the lake a cross-border space, with shorelines, waterways, and islands that can be difficult to monitor or secure. The article focuses on the Nigerian side, especially the parts affecting Borno State.

Governor Zulum says insurgents are present along the Lake Chad shores. He connects that presence to recent attacks on communities in northern Borno. He also called for a stronger amphibious command in Baga to clear waterways. Holding those positions would help preserve the gains made during an offensive and protect nearby communities.

The article does not explain the lake’s full regional security structure. Based on established geography, its four sharing countries are Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. In the article’s account, the immediate concern is not the lake’s size but the access its shores and islands provide to insurgents. Clearing and holding that area is presented as necessary for complete peace in Borno.

Governor Zulum identified several locations where stronger military presence could improve security in Borno. He named Kareto, Baga, and the Sabon Gari–Wajiroko axis. These deployments are intended to protect communities, secure waterways, and support movement through vulnerable areas. He also called for faster establishment of a military formation in Kareto.

Baga is especially important because Zulum wants its amphibious command strengthened. That would support operations on Lake Chad’s waterways. On the Gubio–Damasak corridor, he requested a military formation in Kareto. Around Sabon Gari and Wajiroko in Damboa Local Government Area, he sought formations to support the restoration of vehicular movement.

The main transport route mentioned is the Damboa–Biu road. The article says security around Sabon Gari and Wajiroko would help reopen it. Zulum also requested additional deployments across two sectors, which he said were already improving stability. The requested locations combine road security, community protection, and control of waterways.

About 1,000 forest guards were trained by the Nigerian Army, according to Governor Zulum. He thanked the Chief of Army Staff and said the guards had completed their training and been deployed to Borno State. This gives the state an additional trained security presence alongside regular military units.

The article does not define the forest guards’ assignments or explain how they operate with soldiers. In general, trained local guards can help watch difficult terrain, report suspicious activity, protect communities, and provide local information. Those possible roles would support regular troops by extending observation and freeing military units for larger operations. They would not replace the Army’s combat role.

Their deployment could matter during and after Operation Lake Sanity. Local security personnel may help monitor areas cleared by military action and alert authorities if insurgents return. However, the article provides no evidence yet about their performance, equipment, or exact responsibilities. Their contribution will depend on clear coordination with the Army and other security agencies.

A successful operation could produce several practical gains for northern Borno. Communities might receive better protection, waterways could become safer, and vehicles could again use routes affected by insecurity. Zulum specifically connected stronger military control with protecting communities and supporting the reopening of the Damboa–Biu road. Clearing the Lake Chad area could also reduce the source of attacks he identified.

The key mechanism is territorial control. Military forces would need to remove insurgents from shores and islands, clear waterways, and hold strategic positions afterward. The proposed amphibious command in Baga is meant to support that work. Formations at Kareto and around Sabon Gari and Wajiroko would help protect corridors and maintain access.

If insurgents remain in control or retain access to the lake area, the article’s concerns would persist. Northern communities could continue facing attacks, waterways could remain insecure, and road travel could stay restricted. Zulum therefore says military gains must be followed by reconstruction, rehabilitation, and resettlement so communities can safely recover.

Military operations can remove insurgents, but communities may still lack homes, services, infrastructure, and safe conditions for return. That is why Governor Zulum says operations must be followed by reconstruction, rehabilitation, and resettlement. These measures turn a security victory into a more stable civilian recovery. They also help prevent cleared areas from becoming abandoned or vulnerable again.

The article gives specific examples. The Army supported re-establishing the Mairari community. It was also preparing for military formations and community resettlement in Maiwa, Koshobe, and Ala. Zulum pledged that the Borno State Government would provide the support needed to fortify those locations. These actions link security with the return and protection of residents.

The forward goal is to sustain gains rather than simply capture ground. Rebuilt communities and returning residents can support normal economic and social activity. The Chief of Army Staff said the military’s mandate includes creating an enabling environment for socio-economic activities. Without follow-up measures, military control may not produce lasting stability.

An insurgency is a sustained armed campaign by a group that challenges government authority. Insurgents usually avoid behaving like a regular army. They may attack communities or security forces, use difficult terrain, and withdraw before facing a larger force. In this article, insurgents are operating around Lake Chad and are linked to attacks in northern Borno.

A conventional army normally has visible bases, uniforms, command structures, and territory that can be targeted. An insurgent group may instead use shores, islands, waterways, forests, or local networks for movement and concealment. That makes finding and holding its positions difficult. It also means military success requires more than winning one battle or clearing one location.

The article reflects this challenge through Zulum’s call to clear and hold the Lake Chad area. He wants stronger formations at strategic sites and a capable amphibious command in Baga. He also stresses reconstruction and resettlement. Those steps matter because lasting defeat requires security, public trust, and stable communities after combat operations.