The senator representing Borno south, Ali Ndume has said that the Nigerian military is not suitably equipped to fight Boko Haram.
He made this statement at his Maiduguri home after a visit to the families of victims killed by terrorists in Ngoshe, Kirawa, Ashigashiya, and other areas of Gwoza LGA.
Ndume disclosed 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.
Whilst on the trip, they got a report about an ambush involving Cameroonian soldiers and motorists on the Pulka-Kirawa road.
Nonetheless, the lawmaker and his group proceeded to Kirawa to reassure the residents amid the resurgence of Boko Haram violence.
Ndume ascertained 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, and a number of others were 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.
The senator talked about 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.
The Borno senator expressed his suspicion that some people might be providing Boko Haram with information.
He, however, lauded the military’s response, saying that a reinforcement team managed to clear the area, irrespective of the terrorists planting bombs that damaged two military vehicles.
In his visit to Kirawa, the parliamentarian laid the foundation for two classroom blocks, imploring residents to remain resilient against Boko Haram.
Ndume lamented that Boko Haram has been particularly 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.
He also acknowledged that, while the military is making efforts to arrest the violence in synergy with the Babagana Zulum administration, resources remain limited.
“The federal government needs to better equip and motivate our military forces,” he said.
Ndume also said that he had discussed the situation with Christopher Musa, the chief of defence staff, who gave him assurance that extra troops would be deployed to Gwoza to boost 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.”