Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, has raised alarm over the deteriorating security situation in Borno State, revealing that Boko Haram terrorists have taken control of three communities in the state.
The senator made the disclosure on Friday while appearing on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television. According to him, the affected communities are currently under the control of insurgents with no presence of civil authorities.
“What we are saying is that there is no civil authority there, and the authority is Boko Haram,” Ndume stated.
The lawmaker, who has served in the National Assembly for 16 years, identified the areas taken over by the terrorists as Gudumbali in Guzamala Local Government Area, Marte, and Abadam. He stressed that the security agencies are under-equipped to adequately confront the insurgents, a situation he warned is allowing the insurgency to regain strength in the North-East.
Ndume’s comments came on the heels of a similar warning from Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum, who recently expressed concern over the worsening security situation in the state.
“As I address this important gathering today, it is unfortunate that the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities almost on a daily basis without confrontation signalled that Borno State is losing ground,” Zulum lamented.
Senator Ndume affirmed the governor’s concerns, emphasising the urgency of the situation and criticising attempts to downplay the severity of the crisis.
“From November last year till date, there were over 250 attacks in the state, and somebody is saying we should ignore the governor.
“We have lost more than 100 soldiers, nearly 300 civilians even though our soldiers gallantly killed 800 of those terrorists within this period,” he said.
