Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum has reiterated his call for the use of mercenaries to fight the insurgent in the North East because he believes the Nigerian Army of many years past are more equipped and efficient than the present.
Zulum said his call for mercenaries was borne out of patriotism and the safety of Nigerians because without security the nation remained troubled.
The special guest to the Channels morning programme monitored by our correspondent said the level of insecurity caused in the country by insurgents and bandits.
He maintained that the national security aimed at quelling insecurity remained tied to the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) without which, they cannot return to their places and to farm and promote food security that he said was severely affected by the insurgency.
He argued that mercenaries will complement the deficiency of the Army that has been abandoned for a long period of time.
Zulum said the IDPs have become a place for prostitutes, drug abuse and other social vices that can be contained by the securitized environment and relocation to the same.
His words: “It no more sustainable for people living in IDP camps to receive food and non-food items for doing our partners. People must source their means of livelihood if we want to ensure that insurgency comes to an end.
“We have accumulated a huge number of people in the IDP camps which is not right. There have been increasing prostitution in the IDP camps; there is increasing drug abuse in the IDP camps, there is increased procreation in the IDP camps.
“And therefore, we must ensure that Government should create the enabling environment that will ensure reconstruction and resettlement of IDPs to their community in a dignifies manner, that is very important.
“The second most important thing is the issue of mercenaries, I have said it many times, the current capabilities of the Nigerian Army is not enough to sustain the military operation in the Northeast, they are doing their best, I think they are yet to get all the equipment needed to fight the war.
“What we are saying is that, in the interim, they should seek for a coalition. They should get external support, call it mercenaries or engage with their neighbours and get external support against the insurgents.
“Right now some of the insurgents are coming out in other parts of the country. The Nigerian Army does not have all the equipment to fight the insurgency right now.
“We are losing men and officers in the Nigerian Army, there is nothing wrong with the military shifting to our advice and getting mercenaries to ensure that all the remnants are cleared, pending when we get all their equipment to face the insurgents but unfortunately they did not listen.
“Look the whole phenomenon may consume all of us. If they do not heed this advice, we couldn’t have seen insurgency in the region of the country.
The Nigerian Army of 30 years ago is better than the Nigerian Army of this day, we are supposed to have gone far in the equipment.
“Yes, Mr President has gone far in the procurements of equipment, yes, the equipment is coming.”
“That is a serious thing that they should look at it immediately, otherwise, the nation would be consumed by insecurity, I have seen the President worked with his counterpart in Chad and others in the region.
He said it should use the advantage of such support to boost internal security.
He said the lean situation of the army made it difficult for the Nigerian Army to combat the many fronts her attention is being required to help with the level of insecurity.
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