The Senate has called on the Military to urgently redeploy personnel and modern military hardware to Borno and Yobe States in response to renewed Boko Haram attacks in the North-East.
The lawmakers’ resolution followed a motion moved on Tuesday by Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno, who cited the deadly assault in Marte town, Monguno Local Government Area, on Monday where several soldiers were reportedly killed.
He also referenced a subsequent attack on Gajiram, the Administrative Headquarters of Nganzai Local Government Area, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday.
Monguno reminded his colleagues that although Boko Haram had once taken over nearly two-thirds of Borno’s local government areas, joint efforts by the Military and the civilian JTF had reclaimed most of the territory.
However, he noted that the redeployment of tactical Command units to the North-West, where the Military is currently engaged in operations against banditry and kidnapping, had left the North-East vulnerable again.
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He warned that insurgents are now leveraging sophisticated tools and shifting strategies.
According to him, Boko Haram is using “modern technologies,” including drones and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which have led to “high civilian and military casualties,” while also disrupting vital transport routes.
The Senate consequently passed a resolution urging the Military leadership to send more troops and advanced combat equipment to the region.
The lawmakers also instructed the Committees on the Army and Air Force to monitor the implementation of the redeployment order.
“It is very worrisome and shocking that the renewed attacks in Borno and other places has taken a different dimension without confrontation.
“Just today (Monday) one of my local government area which is Marte came under a deadly Boko Haram invasion on Military formation,” Monguno said during plenary.
“Many soldiers were killed with looting of arms and ammunition without confrontation.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on all and sundry to support convention of National Security Summit (NSS), considering the fact that the renewed attacks seem to be going out of hand,” he added.
