Ali Ndume commended the efforts of the Nigerian Army and the Borno State Government under Governor Babagana Zulum for their response to the attacks, but emphasized that more needs to be done to equip and motivate the military.
Maiduguri, Nigeria — Former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, has raised concerns over the capabilities of the Nigerian military, claiming they are ill-equipped and lack the necessary resources to decisively end the Boko Haram insurgency and banditry in the country.
Speaking from his Maiduguri residence on Wednesday, after returning from a condolence visit to the families of victims recently killed by terrorists in Ngoshe, Kirawa, Ashigashiya, and other communities in Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State, Ndume dismissed social media reports alleging that his convoy was ambushed by suspected Boko Haram terrorists.
The Senator, who represents Southern Borno and Gwoza Senatorial District, explained that his convoy was not the target of the recent ambush on the Pulka-Kirawa road, where a Cameroonian businessman, identified as Alhaji Kadi, and an unidentified woman were killed. The attack also left several others injured.
“On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, my humble self and other stakeholders, accompanied by a convoy of military escorts, set out to condole with the families of those killed by terrorists in Ngoshe before proceeding to Kirawa. Along the way, we received a distress call that some Cameroonian soldiers and motorists had been ambushed along the Pulka-Kirawa road,” Ndume stated.
He noted that despite the ambush and security concerns, the convoy reached Kirawa safely, where they expressed solidarity with residents and urged them to remain resilient amidst renewed Boko Haram attacks.
The Senator alleged that some individuals might be colluding with Boko Haram and providing information to the terrorist group, which has recently targeted farmers harvesting crops. According to Ndume, nearly half of the crops produced by farmers in Ngoshe, Kirawa, Ashigashiya, and other communities around the Mandara Mountains have been looted by terrorists, leaving local farmers frustrated and hungry.
Ndume commended the efforts of the Nigerian Army and the Borno State Government under Governor Babagana Zulum for their response to the attacks, but emphasized that more needs to be done to equip and motivate the military.
“Our military forces are determined and committed to ending Boko Haram’s madness, but this cannot be possible if they are not fully equipped, armed, trained, and motivated,” he said. Ndume further disclosed that he had spoken with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, who assured him that additional forces would be deployed to Gwoza to protect farmers and enable them to harvest their crops safely.
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