Back security emergency declaration with action, Ndume urges FG

Senator Ali Ndume has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to walk his talk on the declaration of an emergency on security following last week’s killing of residents of Ngoshe in Borno State and the abduction of over one hundred women and children by Boko Haram. President Tinubu had last November declared a nationwide security […]

Senator Ali Ndume has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to walk his talk on the declaration of an emergency on security following last week’s killing of residents of Ngoshe in Borno State and the abduction of over one hundred women and children by Boko Haram.

President Tinubu had last November declared a nationwide security emergency and ordered additional recruitment into the Armed Forces.

Senator Ndume, who represents Borno South senatorial district, in a statement, urged the president to mandate security forces to carry out consistent clearance operations in areas like Lake Chad, Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains — locations he noted are havens for insurgents from where they launch attacks.

He also called on the president to institute regular briefings to Nigerians on efforts to tackle banditry and insurgency in the three zones of Northern Nigeria.

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He said: “Government should walk its talks on emergency by engaging in coordinated and sustainable attacks on targets, especially in the North-East. They should carry out consistent clearance operations in Lake Chad, Sambisa Forest and the Mandara Mountains because the recent attacks were well coordinated by the insurgents.

“For example, the Ngoshe massacre was carried out by insurgents from the Mandara Mountains, assisted by others from Sambisa and Lake Chad, using their known routes.

“Since the President has declared a state of emergency, he should have a situation room in his office in the Villa and use it to brief Nigerians directly from time to time. Nigerians want to hear from him.

“Nigeria also deserves an Air Components Centre in the three geo-political zones in the North, with attack helicopters deployed to the areas.”

He, however, commended the military for their intervention in Ngoshe “even though it came late.”

The former Senate Chief Whip also restated his call for the frontloading of security agencies’ budgets to fast-track procurement of arms and ammunition.

He equally expressed strong reservations about the budgetary provisions for the military in the face of sophisticated weapons traced to terrorist groups.

“The Nigerian Army budget is insignificant compared to the overall national budget — less than 10 per cent — and it should be frontloaded,” he said.