How to end insurgency in Nigeria

Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, has said terrorism, banditry, and insurgency can only be defeated if the military and other security agencies are adequately funded.

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Mr Ndume, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), stated this in a statement on Thursday while reacting to calls for the removal of service chiefs.

“Those pushing for sack of the present crop of Service Chiefs have ulterior motive and they do not mean well for the present administration and Nigerians. I want to restate my call for a proactive TEAM approach. Which means Training, Equipment, Ammunitions and Motivation. This combination would go a long to counter terrorism, banditry and insurgency,” he said.

The senator stressed that security personnel require proper weapons and welfare to end insecurity in the country.

“All they need is adequate ammunitions and motivation. The salary of a private in the army in Nigeria is about N100,000.00 ($67.00) per month. Their daily allowance ( N5,000.00) is unconscionable and nothing to write home about,” he added.

Mr Ndume himself was once charged in court in 2011 over alleged links to Boko Haram militants but was cleared in 2017.

For more than a decade, Nigeria has battled terrorism and banditry, especially in the North. Entire communities have been shattered, families torn apart, and livelihoods destroyed.

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The North-east continues to suffer Boko Haram/ISWAP attacks, while the North-west and Middle Belt face repeated attacks from banditry and several kidnapping incidents.

Recent data shows fatalities are rising. In the first half of 2025, at least 2,266 people were killed by insurgents and bandits, compared to 1,083 in the same period of 2024. However, abductions declined, with 857 cases recorded between January and June 2025, down from 1,461 in the same period last year.

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In 2024 alone, about 3,436 deaths were recorded from 2,370 attacks on civilians. Between November 2024 and April 2025, hundreds of attacks claimed over 200 civilian lives and more than 100 soldiers.

In August, the federal government confirmed the capture of two top Ansaru commanders

Mahmud Muhammed Usman (a.k.a. Abu Bara’a/Abbas Mukhtar) and his deputy, Abubakar Abba (a.k.a. Isah Adam/Mahmud Al-Nigeri).