Former Senate Majority Leader, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has charged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to hire the services of military contractors to wipe out the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State.
Ndume, who hailed the gallant performance of the military and Civilian JTF, said they’re ill-equipped to carry out the task of eliminating the remaining insurgents who operate within.
He said the superpowers of the world hired military contractors to aid them in their warfare. He listed the United States of America, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France, among others, as countries that often engage the services of military contractors.
In the long run, he said able-bodied Nigerian youths could be drafted to raise the number of military personnel in the country to at least one million.
Ndume lamented that the farmers, who are the regular victims of the attacks, are being forced by Boko Haram terrorists to abandon their farming harvests at a time when the country is facing a serious food crisis.
“All across the world, governments hire the services of military contractors to engage in certain places. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can consider this as a short-term measure. These contractors will work with our military and Civilian JTF, who understand the terrain.
“These contractors will come with their equipment and military hardware. In a very short time, they’ll eliminate those Boko Haram terrorists. The contractors can also be used to eliminate those bandits operating in the North West.
“Over time, the Federal Government can recruit youths to join the military and raise the number to at least one million. But in the interim, I think the President should consider this option of hiring military contractors,” Ndume, who is currently away in Benin Republic for an ECOWAS Parliament engagement, stated this in a telephone conversation.
Boko Haram terrorists, on Monday in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, launched a fresh attack that resulted in the slaughter of six farmers and the abduction of five, including women.
During the attack, the commander of Civilian JTF in the area, Jubril Dada Zarana, was killed by the terrorists. No military personnel died, though they tried unsuccessfully to repel the attackers.
The fresh attack comes barely a few weeks after the same terrorists killed many civilians in a bomb blast. Hundreds of other civilians were injured.
Filibus Yakubu, councillor representing Ngoshe ward, Gwoza Local Government Area, told newsmen in a telephone conversation.
Yakubu said the terrorists ambushed the farmers while they were busy with their farming activities. He said security agents (Army and CJTF) “tried their best to protect the people, but they could not hold them for long.
He added that Jubril Dada Zarana was killed with honour in defending his people along with the other victims.
He said: “The Boko Haram terrorists released three women from whom this information was obtained. The released women further stated that the victims are being held hostage by the terrorists.
“Moreover, some people were still missing at the time of this conversation due to this incident. The people did not return to Ngoshe during the catastrophe, and according to the released women, they are not part of the ones abducted.
“It is an Independence Day, a day of celebration of freedom, human rights, progress, and unity. But for our people, it is a day of sorrow, despair, infringement, destitution, helplessness, and total dilemma.
“Our people are severely suffering due to a lack of essential life support, but they have chosen to remain in their fatherland because of the love they have for it. The State Government has really tried for our people, but NGOs and others are not providing us with food supplies.
“The little farming they have hoped to survive on, they must risk their lives to harvest what they have planted. People of Ngoshe and the neighbouring villages (Gava, Agapalawa, Amuda, Chinene, Chikide, Dhugwade, Kwadale, Bokko, Barawa, Kughum, etc.)—only God can come to our aid. Part of the people from the aforementioned villages are currently living in Ngoshe.
“May Allah have mercy on the deceased. May Allah free the abducted. May Almighty God release the missing people. May Almighty Allah grant us lasting peace in Gwoza, Borno State, and Nigeria at large.”
