Boko Haram: Senator Ndume raises alarm, says military must be strengthened

Less than 24 hours after senator representing Niger East, Mohammed Sani Musa, raised the alarm that bandits have displaced residents in his constituents, another Senator has called on the Federal Government to strengthen the military against the rampaging insurgents in the North East.

Senator representing Borno South who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Ali Ndume, made the call during the weekend.

In a statement he personally signed, Senator Ndume called on the military to redeploy more soldiers to Maiduguri-Damaturu road which he noted has been notorious for Boko Haram and kidnapping in the recent days.

He said until recently, ”the road used to be safe. It is the only outlet linking Maiduguri to other states in the country.”

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He disclosed that on Sunday, two women on suicide mission detonated bombs in a mosque located in Bulabulum ward in Gworza town within his senatorial district in Borno State.

Senator Ndume further disclosed that ”according to the account of the Brigade commander in the area, the two women slipped into the mosque pretending to be there for early morning (Subuhi) prayer.

“They detonated the bombs simultaneously living two people dead and 12 others severely injured, with the mosque fully razed to rubble. Because the people were alerted early enough, therefore, the casualties were however minimised.”

“The Nigerian Army thereafter swung into action, condoning off the mosque and stepping up patrol of the area as well as mounting roadblocks to search motorists to prevent further explosions.”

The Chairman Senate Committee on Army appealed to the people to be more vigilant and share information with the army while calling on the military to beef up security in the area.

His statement further read in part: “However, I wish to call on the military to step up security in the area, just as I enjoined the Gworza people to be more vigilant, cooperate with the military and also supply information to them, in order to forestall recurrence of the suicide attack.

“I wish to also call on the Federal Government to strengthen the military by ensuring that the Chadian forces which were withdrawn recently are returned.

“It has become necessary for the Army to redeploy more soldiers to Maiduguri-Damaturu road which has been notorious for Boko Haram and kidnapping in recent days,” the statement read.