Senator Ali Ndume, representing Southern Borno, has credited former President Goodluck Jonathan for effectively combating the Boko Haram insurgency in the final months of his administration by engaging Private Military Consultants (PMCs)......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
Speaking at the 10th Senate retreat on reviewing the 1999 constitution in Kano, Ndume emphasized the significant impact of this approach. He explained how the collaboration between South African PMCs and the Nigerian Army led to a major victory against insurgents in Maiduguri in 2014.
“I’ve chaired the House Committee on Army, and as someone from Borno State where this crisis started, I see three major security challenges in Nigeria: Boko Haram, banditry, and IPOB. If the government takes these seriously, they could be addressed within six months to a year,” he said.
Ndume highlighted the lack of training and equipment among bandits, most of whom use arms captured from Nigerian forces.
He expressed concern over the government’s failure to track down criminals using modern technology, despite advancements in ICT.
He praised the Chief of Army Staff for acknowledging that securing 230 million people with limited resources is unrealistic and called for the recruitment of more soldiers. He also stressed the need to engage the nation’s youth, many of whom are unemployed and losing faith in the country.
Reflecting on the success of PMCs under Jonathan, Ndume said, “Boko Haram was at its peak in 2014 when Jonathan hired South African PMCs.
They worked with the Nigerian Army and the civilian JTF, who knew the local insurgents, to drive Boko Haram out of Maiduguri. Since then, the insurgency has been largely contained to a few spots like Lake Chad, Mandara Mountain, and Sambisa Forest.”
Ndume further criticised the inadequacy of equipment provided to the military, noting that insurgents are often better armed. He called for the government to prioritize security by equipping the military properly and utilizing PMCs if necessary.
He concluded, “The Nigerian Army is known for its professionalism and commitment, but without proper resources, results will be limited. If you give them what they need and a clear deadline, they will succeed. Let’s stop pretending and address the real issues of security, hunger, and underutilized farmland in the country.”