Insurgency: We Risk Losing Borno, North-East to Terrorists – Sen Ndume

Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has urged the Federal Government to fully equip the Nigerian Army to combat insurgency and banditry, warning that Borno and the North-East risk being overrun by terrorists.

Ndume made the call after visiting Ngoshe and Pulka in Borno State with Governor Babagana Zulum, where Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists had carried out coordinated attacks, killing soldiers and civilians, and abducting women and children.

“The military was initially overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the terrorist groups,” Ndume said, while calling on the Federal Government to provide sophisticated arms and ammunition.

In a statement issued to journalists yesterday in Abuja, he said: “I am calling on the Federal Government to double its efforts in equipping the Army with sophisticated arms and ammunition.

“I gathered that our soldiers lacked adequate ammunition and had to withdraw from Ngoshe and Pulka because the terrorists overwhelmed them. It was only days after reinforcements arrived that they regained control of the area.”

He praised Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum for visiting the ravaged communities and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, and urged federal intervention to rebuild affected communities and support displaced persons.

Ndume further described Ngoshe as having been “brought down to ground zero,” with only a small mosque left standing, while commending the Nigerian Army for retaking the area.

“That is what I saw. The destruction is complete. There is nothing left standing except one small mosque. The people are resilient, and the governor is determined to rebuild Ngoshe. There is an urgent need for Federal Government intervention,” he said.

“I will speak with my colleagues at the National Assembly, and we will collectively raise a motion in both chambers. However, we expect the Federal Government to intervene even before then. This is necessary because the people are resilient. I have interacted with them—they are determined. Some have even refused to relocate to cities; they want to return home. Since they have that determination, the government must rebuild the community.

“I must commend the Nigerian Army for taking back Ngoshe. After we returned, the governor spent a night in Pulka, and I must commend him. I see the psychological impact of that gesture, and we thank him on behalf of our people. It is something we will never forget.”