Suicide attacks: Deploy technology to combat insurgency, Senators tell FG

Senators have called on the Federal Government to ask its military to rethink its conventional methods for fighting insurgencies and other crimes by deploying modern technology and scientific tactics.

The lawmakers observed that relying on conventional methods alone, like the deployment of troops, appeared not to be succeeding as terrorists continued to use non-conventional approaches to killing Nigerians and destroying their means of livelihood.

Senators spoke in Abuja on Wednesday as they debated a motion of urgent public importance on the recent suicide attacks in Gwoza, Borno State, which claimed the lives of about 32 people.

The motion, which was titled “Suicide Attacks in Gwoza, Borno State: The Urgency to Stem the Tide of This Ugly Menace,”  was moved by the Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Ali Ndume (Borno-South).

A major prayer in Ndume’s motion dwelled on the urgency for the government to prioritise security and to devote more funds to the procurement of modern technology for the armed forces for deployment against terrorists.

It stated, “Urge the Federal Government to direct the security agencies in the country to deploy the use of modern technology in the fight against insurgency and to make concerted efforts in securing the hot spots inhabited by the insurgents, namely, the Lake Chad Region, Sambisa Forest, and Mandara Mountains, respectively.”

Recall that on Saturday, June 29th, suicide bombers targeted a wedding ceremony, a funeral, and a hospital in a coordinated attack in Gwoza town.

Aside from the dead, scores of other victims were wounded with varied degrees of injuries.

As senators debated the motion on Wednesday, the majority of them agreed with Ndume’s prayer that the deployment of technology, including drones, was the way to go.

Sen. Mohammed Monguno (Borno-North), in his contribution, said he was surprised that suicide bombings had resurfaced again, having been considered a thing of the past.

“The only panacea will be the deployment of technology to contain the situation,” he said.

On his part, former President of the Senate, Sen. Ahmad Lawan (Yobe-North), noted, “Drones can be successfully deployed to fight banditry and other crimes.

“We must really fund our armed forces to do more of what they have been doing already.”

Also supporting the motion, Sen. Jimoh Ibrahim argued that the best way to respond to the insurgents was to deploy non-conventional approaches, the same as the terrorists often did.

“The Boko Haram insurgency is an unconventional war.

How can you go to a wedding and denote a bomb on people? This is unfair and  sad,” he added.

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Sen. Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, also agreed that early investment and adoption of technology would help the military record more success against the insurgents.

But Sen. Victor Umeh (Anambra-Central), though supporting the deployment of technology, observed that education for the young people of the North-East and general reorientation of the communities would bring permanent solutions.

According to Umeh, a young person who has been indoctrinated with the belief that they can go to heaven by killing people can only be rescued by first changing their mindset.

“What is important is to change the mindset of the people. This means that whether we deploy technology or use soldiers, suicide bombing will continue if the mindset remains the same.

“Therefore, let’s educate the people, especially the young people. A total reorientation for our young people is needed  here,” he further stated.

Former Governor of Edo State, Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, made allegations of “diversion of funds” by former service chiefs as he made his contribution.

He claimed that funds budgeted for the armed forces for the procurement of equipment were instead used by the former security heads to build universities in their local communities.

Oshiomhole complained that what was more regrettable was that the universities weren’t “teaching anything about security” but existing as conventional universities.

“Yes, the funds were diverted to build public universities, but my view is that those funds should have been invested in buying modern technology and equipment for the armed forces to fight this insurgency

“Every security chief wants to build a university in his village”, he added.

Oshiomhole also recalled how the Senate found out that funds voted for the use of the Nigerian Navy were later changed to buying a yacht.

His additional prayer, seeking to investigate how the former security heads utilised the funds voted for the armed forces under their watch, was roundly rejected in a majority voice vote.

The development surprised the President of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, who took the vote a second time, and twice it was rejected.

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