ABUJA, NIGERIA — Renowned political analyst and Arise News commentator Mahmud Jega has described the reported arrival of a massive insurgent force in Bauchi State as a “national worry,” questioning how a heavily armed “army” could traverse multiple state lines undetected.
Speaking during a prime-time broadcast on Friday evening, February 27, 2026, Jega reacted to the chilling security brief provided by Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed, who earlier this week warned that 10,000 well-armed bandits and insurgents had occupied the Alkaleri axis.
The Logistics of Terror
Jega’s critique focused on the apparent failure of Nigeria’s internal security perimeter. He pointed out that Bauchi is not a border state, meaning any insurgent force arriving there would have had to travel hundreds of kilometres through neighbouring territories.
“Bauchi is not a border state; for such an army to arrive in Bauchi, it must have crossed several states,” Jega noted. “It is alarming to hear an army of Boko Haram arrived in Bauchi; it calls for national worry.”
The analyst suggested that the sheer scale of the movement—described by the Governor as an army of 10,000—should have been picked up by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, long before they reached the Alkaleri forests.
A Call for American Intervention
In a notable shift in rhetoric, Jega suggested that since the United States has a military presence in the region for counter-terrorism purposes, they should be engaged to assist in a direct kinetic response.
“Since Americans are here for this reason, they should assist in carrying out a raid,” Jega argued. This call comes as the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act continues to stir controversy in Washington, with some Northern leaders warning that U.S. sanctions against figures like Rabiu Kwankwaso could further destabilise the region.
A Nation Under Siege
The Bauchi incursion is part of a broader “harvest of blood” across the North:
- Kebbi Mosque Massacre: The Lakurawa group killed five worshippers in a “reprisal” attack on Wednesday night.
- Plateau Bloodshed: In Bassa and Barkin Ladi, 15 residents were slaughtered this week, sparking viral calls for the “end of Nigeria” from the Take It Back Movement.
- The Humanitarian Toll: These security failures coincide with a $347 million aid shortfall, threatening 5.8 million people with starvation.
Governance in the Shadow of Regency
While Jega calls for raids, the Abuja “regency” remains focused on political consolidation. The defection of Governor Fintiri has given the APC a 30-governor supermajority, and President Tinubu has formally asked the Senate to amend the Constitution for State Police.
Critics like Buba Galadima and Ralph Nwosu argue that the administration is “playing politics” while the country burns. For Mahmud Jega, the arrival of an insurgent army in the heart of the North-East is the clearest sign yet that the current security architecture is not just “extremely challenged”—it is broken.
