The Chairman Senate Committee on the Army, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume has reacted over the renewed onslaught by the Boko Haram insurgents terrorising residents of the North-east. The Senator disclosed that unless the central government is ready to fix the fundamental problem confronting the armed forces, the fight will continue to be a mirage.
Ndume, a former leader in the 8th Senate made this statement while granting an interview with newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
Ndume explained that poor funding and lack of modern equipment and weapons to confront the insurgents have continued to hamper the Armed Forces operation, also saying an inadequate number of the security forces deployed to fight the insurgent has remained inadequate.
He said the personnel no matter how sophisticated weapon could be are being operated by them, therefore, as long as resources deployed to fighting the insurgents remain inadequate, the challenge will continue to be with us.
According to Ndume, only 30,000 soldiers are on ground to face the dreaded group which is considered grossly inadequate by all standards, where he called on the Federal Government to do the needful by improving on the number of personnel being involved in the operation.
Ndume revealed that the three local government recently displaced by the dreaded group in Borno state are yet to go back to their ancestral home, saying the locals took to their heels for the fear of the unknown as people, they have continued to live in perpetual fear. The Governor is appealing to the military to retake back the overtaken territory so that the local could go back to their homes.
The Senator who expressed the onslaught as unfortunate, also expresses optimism that the military will do their best in making sure the locals dignity is restored and normalcy to the zone is brought back.
Ndume also expressed worry over the Kidnap of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman, Pastor Lawan Andimi who was abducted in Michika Local Government Area by the insurgents, calling on the security agencies operating in the area to secure his freedom by all means possible.
He also called on the military to step up their game so that the resident returned back to their homes.