Military not adequately equipped to fight Boko Haram, says Ndume

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, says the Nigerian military is not adequately equipped to combat Boko Haram.

Ndume made the remarks at his Maiduguri residence following a visit to the families of victims killed by terrorists in Ngoshe, Kirawa, Ashigashiya, and other areas of Gwoza LGA.

The lawmaker explained that he, along with concerned stakeholders, travelled with a military convoy to offer condolences to the bereaved families.

“On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, we set out for Ngoshe to express our sympathies with families devastated by recent terrorist attacks before heading to Kirawa,” he said.

During their trip, they received a report about an ambush involving Cameroonian soldiers and motorists on the Pulka-Kirawa road.

However, Ndume and his group continued to Kirawa to reassure the residents amid the resurgence of Boko Haram violence.

He confirmed that the ambush was targeted at Kadi, a Cameroonian bureau de change (BDC) operator, who, along with an unidentified woman, lost his life in the attack, with several others injured.

“As the Senator representing Southern Borno and Gwoza, I had initially planned to visit both Ngoshe and Kirawa for condolences, but the road to Kirawa was inaccessible at the time,” Ndume said.

He described how senior military officials, including the theatre commander and the GOC 7 division, directed the brigade commander in Gwoza to personally lead their military escort.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve travelled with such a strong military escort from Maiduguri to Ngoshe. Along the way, we reached Wizza, where there’s a junction leading to Kirawa,” he said.

Ndume expressed his suspicion that some individuals might be giving information to Boko Haram.

He commended the military’s response, stating that a reinforcement team managed to clear the area, despite the terrorists planting bombs that damaged two military vehicles.

During his visit to Kirawa, Ndume laid the foundation for two classroom blocks, urging residents to remain resilient against Boko Haram.

He lamented that Boko Haram has been specifically targeting farmers during the harvest season.

“I was reliably informed by the village heads of Gwoza that nearly half of the crops harvested by hard-working farmers in Ngoshe, Kirawa, Ashigashiya, and other communities in the Mandara Mountains had been stolen by terrorists, leaving the local farmers frustrated and hungry,” he noted.

Ndume acknowledged that, while the military is making efforts to address the violence in collaboration with the Babagana Zulum administration, resources remain limited.

“The federal government needs to better equip and motivate our military forces,” he said.

He added that he had discussed the situation with Christopher Musa, the chief of defence staff, who assured him that additional troops would be deployed to Gwoza to enhance security for the farmers.

“The military is fully committed to ending Boko Haram’s terror, but without proper equipment, training, and motivation, their efforts will be hampered.”