Borno Attacks: Ndume calls for better-armed troops, urgent federal response

The senator representing Borno South, Ali Ndume, has called on the federal government to urgently strengthen the operational capacity of the Nigerian military, following a fresh wave of deadly attacks in Borno State that exposed vulnerabilities in the country’s counter-insurgency efforts.

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Mr Ndume made the call on Tuesday in Abuja while briefing journalists on the recent wave of attacks in parts of the state.

The lawmaker spoke after visiting Ngoshe and Pulka communities alongside Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum over the weekend.

The visit followed coordinated attacks reportedly carried out by Boko Haram fighters in collaboration with Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

The attacks, which struck Ngoshe in Gwoza Local Government Area, left soldiers, the village head, and several residents dead, while an unspecified number of women and children were abducted.

Security sources indicate that Nigerian troops have since dislodged the insurgents from the affected communities after reinforcements were deployed.

Security concerns during Ramadan

Across northern Nigeria, at least six major attacks targeting military formations and rural communities have been recorded since the beginning of the Muslim holy month, according to reports from local authorities and media accounts.

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The Ngoshe attack was one of the most devastating incidents as suspected terrorists launched a coordinated assault shortly after residents broke their fast last Wednesday.

The attackers reportedly overran a military base, killed several soldiers and community leaders, including the village head and abducted scores of women and children. The assault triggered panic, forcing hundreds of residents to flee overnight to nearby Pulka.

By the following morning, the scale of destruction had become evident, with large parts of the community razed and many families displaced, deepening the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s conflict-affected North-east.

Further attacks were also reported in Konduga, Marte, Jakana and Mainok between Thursday night and early Friday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Nigerian Army conducted burials for soldiers killed in some of the attacks, although the exact casualty figures were not disclosed.

Federal intervention

Reacting to the developments, Mr Ndume expressed concern that troops deployed to the affected communities were initially outgunned by insurgents.

“I am calling on the federal government to double its efforts in equipping the army with sophisticated arms and ammunition,” he said.

“I gathered that our soldiers lacked adequate ammunition and they ran away from Ngoshe and Pulka because the terrorists overwhelmed them. It was days after reinforcement that they regained the place.”

He added that the destruction in the affected communities was near total. “Nothing was left standing in Ngoshe and Pulka by the terrorists,” he said.

Mr Ndume described his visit to Ngoshe as deeply troubling, noting that the scale of devastation defies easy description.

“It has been brought down to ground zero. That’s what I have seen. The destruction is complete. There is nothing left standing except one small mosque,” he said.

He commended Mr Zulum for visiting the affected communities and spending time with displaced residents in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, describing the gesture as significant for boosting morale.

The senator, however, stressed that the scale of destruction requires urgent federal intervention.

He urged the federal government to support the Borno State Government in rebuilding destroyed communities and providing immediate relief to displaced residents, many of whom, he said, are eager to return home despite the risks.

“I have interacted with them, they are determined, some of them even refused to go into the cities, they want to go back home. Since they have that determination, the government must rebuild the place,” he said.

Mr Ndume also disclosed plans to raise the issue at the National Assembly, signalling a possible motion in both chambers to push for urgent federal action.

READ ALSO: Borno governor warns of possible suicide attacks in Maiduguri during Eid

“I will talk with my colleagues at the National Assembly, and we will collectively in both Houses, do a motion, but before then, we are expecting that the federal government will intervene,” he said.

While commending the Nigerian Army for eventually reclaiming Ngoshe, he emphasised that sustained investment in military capacity would be critical to preventing future attacks and stabilising the region.