Boko Haram: Ndume Condemns Killing Of 5 Soldiers, 2 Immigration Officers, 58 Civilians

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC Borno South) has condemned fresh Boko Haram attacks in Darajamal community of Bama and Monguno local government areas of Borno State.

In Darajamal village, five soldiers and 58 civilians were killed while an unspecified number of people, mostly women and girls, were abducted, even as ground troops of North East Joint Task Force ‘Operation Hadin Kai ‘ with support from Air Component responded swiftly and killed over 30 of the attackers while fleeing into the bush on Friday night.

The attack in Monguno last Thursday also claimed the lives of two immigration officers.

Darajamal, a newly reconstructed and resettled community situated along Bama-Banki road in Borno Central, is over 100 km from Maiduguri, while

Monguno is about 136kms drive from Maiduguri, the state capital and located in the heart of Northern Borno Senatorial District.

In a press statement signed by Ndume, a copy which was made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday, the senator expressed shock over the unabated renewed attacks and killings in some parts of the state.

He sympathised with the government and the people of Borno, especially the families of the victims, including those of the soldiers and Immigration officers. He prayed Allah to grant all souls of the deceased Aljannatul Firdaus.

The Senator also called on the federal government to prioritise security, safety and welfare of all Nigerians in this trying moment.

He however commended the troops of ‘Operation Hadin Kai’ and other security agencies for their sacrifices in making Borno safe and peaceful, but lamented that, in the past few months, several communities in Borno South, North and Central senatorial districts have been under siege by Boko Haram. A situation he described as worrisome.

Ndume advocated for Armed Community Defence to continue in complementing efforts of the military, stressing that, men of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), hunters and vigilantes have been doing their best, but they have limitations, as they only carry den guns, sticks which is very difficult to confront the terrorists.

The Senator, who was one time Chairman Senate Committee on Army also reiterated his call on the federal government and the Nigerian military to deploy drowns, attack helicopters to be stationed in the Theatre Command, Technology, Equipment, Arms and Ammunition, Motivation (TEAAM), which is the only way to end the over decade Boko Haram atrocities in Borno, North East and other parts of the country.

” In the past few months, several communities in Borno South, North and Central Senatorial Districts remained under siege by Boko Haram/ISWAP. The situation is worrisome.

“Let me therefore use this opportunity to advocate for setting up of Armed Community Defence to complement efforts of the military. This is because, men of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), hunters and vigilantes have been doing their best, but they have limitations, as they only carry den guns, sticks which they found it very difficult to confront the terrorists.

“More so, I want to reiterate my calls on the federal government and the Nigerian Military to deploy Technology, Equipment, Arms and Ammunition, Motivation (TEAAM), which is the only way to end the over decade Boko Haram atrocities in Borno, North East and other parts of the country”, Senator Ndume stated.

He also called on the people of the state to continue to cooperate with the military and other security agencies, particularly in information sharing on the modus operandi of terrorists.