James Adamu
A prominent Nigerian lawmaker has stated that recent security initiatives by the administration of President Bola Tinubu are beginning to yield measurable improvements in the country’s fight against insurgency and banditry.
Senator Ali Ndume, the former Senate Leader representing Borno South, commended the President for decisive actions, including the declaration of a state of emergency on security and the directive for trained Forest Guards to support the military in flushing out terrorists from vulnerable areas.
“The directive to engage Forest Guards, coupled with their training has gone a long way to complement efforts of the Nigerian Army and they are happy with that too,” Ndume said in a statement.
The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army pointed to several key areas of progress:
Acknowledging that more is needed, Ndume confirmed that soldiers’ salaries have been doubled and their overall welfare has been enhanced.
· Better Coordination: He noted “visible improvements” in cooperation between the armed forces and other security agencies, calling the inter-agency collaboration “very commendable.”
· Enhanced Kitting: There is a noticeable upgrade in the provision of new arms, uniforms, protective helmets, boots, and bulletproof vests for troops in the field.
However, Ndume emphasized that the federal government must sustain and intensify its efforts. He called for priority procurement of more arms, ammunition, attack helicopters, Armoured Personnel Carriers, and gun trucks for troops at the front lines.
The senator also lauded Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, for his “strong” commitment, noting that the state government has invested over N100 billion to support the Nigerian Army, Civilian JTF, police, and other security agencies.
He urged other governors in the northern region to emulate this model of state-level support to complement federal efforts.
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