Ali Ndume, former Senate Leader and senator representing Borno South, has urged the federal government to expand the ongoing joint military operations between Nigeria and the United States to the North-East, citing the persistent threat of terrorism in the region.
Ndume made the call on Saturday, December 27, while applauding recent U.S. airstrikes on Islamic State (ISIS) cells in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State. The strikes were disclosed by U.S. President Donald Trump via his Truth Social account, where he described them as “numerous precision strikes” carried out by the U.S. Department of War.
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, later confirmed that the operation was conducted with Nigeria’s full consent, cooperation, and intelligence backing. He emphasized that the strikes did not breach Nigeria’s sovereignty and were not directed at any religious group.
According to Ndume, extending the joint military efforts to the North-East would deal a major blow to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram. A former chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, he noted that the groups maintain key strongholds around Lake Chad, the Mandara Mountains, and the Sambisa Forest.
He called for strengthened defence collaboration between Nigeria and the United States, including improved training, intelligence sharing, logistical assistance, and the deployment of attack helicopters to support Nigerian troops on the ground.
Ndume also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for proposing the largest defence allocation in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, while stressing the importance of transparency and accountability in the use of the funds.
Commenting on a recent suicide bombing at a mosque in Gamboru, Maiduguri, which claimed five lives and left several others injured, the senator expressed sympathy for the victims and their families. He noted that the attack underscored the fact that terrorists do not discriminate based on religion, pointing out that all the victims were Muslims.
“These terrorists are simply making life unbearable for our people, regardless of faith,” Ndume said, dismissing claims of a religiously motivated genocide.
0 Comments