The senator representing Borno South, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to temporarily seek the aid of “military contractors” to eradicate the last of the terrorists affiliated with Boko Haram in Borno State.
Ndume praised the military and civilian JTF for their tireless efforts but maintained they lacked the necessary tools to wipe off the remaining terrorists operating there.
“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 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 a period, the federal government can now 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 said in a statement.
Ndume made the call after Boko Haram terrorists on Monday carried out a brutal attack on Ngoshe, in the Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, killing six farmers and five others, including women, were kidnapped.
The commander of the Civilian JTF in the region, Jubril Dada Zarana, was also killed during the terrorist attack.
The councillor representing Ngoshe ward, Filibus Yakubu, while confirming the incident reported that the military made an effort to oppose the attackers, but was unable to stop them.
Yakubu said, “Security agents (Army and CJTF) tried their best to protect the people, but they could not hold them for long.”
He said, “The Boko Haram terrorists released three women from which this information was obtained. The released women further stated that some victims were being kept hostage by the terrorists
“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 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 tried for our people, but NGOs and others are not providing us with food supplies.
“The little farming of which they have hope for survival, they have to put their lives along the line to harvest what they have planted,” the statement read.
“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 of the aforementioned villages are currently living in Ngoshe,” Yakubu said.