Lawmaker representing Borno South, Senator Mohamme Ali Ndume has condemned fresh Boko Haram attacks in Darajamal Community of Bama and Monguno local government areas of Borno State.
Five soldiers with 58 civilains were killed at Darajamal Village while unspecified number of people, mostly women and girls, were abducted.
Troops of North East Joint Task Force ‘Operation Hadin Kai,’ with support from Air Component also responded swiftly and killed over 30 attackers while fleeing into the bush last Friday night.
The attack in Monguno last Thursday also claimed the lives of two Immigration Officers.
In a statement signed by Ndume on Sunday, the Senator expressed shock over 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, and prayed Allah to grant the 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 troops of ‘Operation Hadin Kai’ and other security agencies for their sacrifices in making Borno safe and peaceful, but lamented that several communities in Borno South, North and Central Senatorial Districts have been in the past few months come under seige by Boko Haram attacks, describing the situation as worrisome.
Ndume advocated for Armed Community Defence to complement the 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 with the use of dane guns and sticks to confront terrorists.
He also reiterated his call on the federal government and the military to deploy drones and station attack helicopters in the Theatre Command to end over a 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 remaimed under seige 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 dane 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 charged the people of the state on continued cooperation with the military and other security agencies, particularly in information sharing on the modus operandi of terrorists.