Insecurity: Ndume Talks Tough, Says Bandits Becoming Daring

Former leader of the Senate, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has condemned
Tuesday’s attack on the Nigerian Defence College (NDA), in Kaduna,
by bandits, describing it as unfortunate.

Ndume who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, however, said the attack
is not the first on military facilities. He said for the first
time, bandits had the audacity to take the fight to a military
training school.

Ndume who chairs the Senate Committee on Army, said he expects
the military to take a decisive action and take the fight to the
insurgents.

The Borno South senator, also called on President Muhammadu
Buhari, to address Nigerians more often, rather than rely on press
statements from his media aide.

He said: “At the peak of the insurgency, the Boko Haram
terrorists had the audacity in the past to take their fight to the
military formations and barracks and the soldiers had had cause to
withdraw from those areas and up till now, some of those military
barracks had yet to be recovered or rebuilt.

“The attack on the NDA is therefore not the first, second or
third time that the criminals would attack a military formation,
however, this is the only time that the bandits have the audacity
to take their fight to a military training institution.

“This is very unfortunate because they were so daring. I still
believe that the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces have well
trained personnel who had done well in international
engagements.

“So they have the capacity just that they are overwhelmed
because they are facing many challenges from different fronts.
There is no part of the country that is free of security
challenges. I believe the insecurity situation is at its peak and
the terrorists are engaging in guerilla warfare to send signals
that they had not been eliminated.

“I have the confidence that before the end of the week, the
military will take a decisive action because I know I know that
that the commandant of the NDA, being a gallant soldier had
embarked on a massive manhunt that would yield results.

“It is the responsibility of the military personnel at this
stage to keep watch over one another and expose the activities of
the moles among them who could have sympathy for the insurgents and
prevent the unpatriotic insiders from giving out information that
could sabotage the good works the Nigerian military is doing to end
terror, banditry and other criminal activities in the country.

“Those who are making allegations that the sponsors of Boko
Haram should come out and give out specific facts to the security
agencies so that the alleged sponsors could be arrested, questioned
and prosecuted if any wrong doing is established against them.

“The institutions of government are there and they are willing
to listen and act appropriately. Anybody who is sure of himself and
armed with proven information or intelligence, should bring it
out.

“I am just being worried that the President is not talking to
Nigerians. In a situation like this, silence is not golden. If the
US President could be addressing Americans every day on the issue
in Afghanistan, I also expect President Muhammadu Buhari, to be
addressing Nigerians either daily, weekly or fortnightly on the
security situations across Nigeria.

“The usual statements from his media aides is not the solution.
The President should create a situation room to brief Nigerians on
the current situation and what his government is doing about it.
Such action would allay the fears of the people.

“It is not enough to provide the security agencies with
everything they need to prosecute the war, the President should
take charge. He should also cultivate the habit of visiting places
where incidents happen to physically assess the situation on
ground.”

Former leader of the Senate, Mohammed Ali Ndume, has condemned
Tuesday’s attack on the Nigerian Defence College (NDA), in Kaduna,
by bandits, describing it as unfortunate.

Ndume who spoke with newsmen in Abuja, however, said the attack
is not the first on military facilities. He said for the first
time, bandits had the audacity to take the fight to a military
training school.

Ndume who chairs the Senate Committee on Army, said he expects
the military to take a decisive action and take the fight to the
insurgents.

The Borno South senator, also called on President Muhammadu
Buhari, to address Nigerians more often, rather than rely on press
statements from his media aide.

He said: “At the peak of the insurgency, the Boko Haram
terrorists had the audacity in the past to take their fight to the
military formations and barracks and the soldiers had had cause to
withdraw from those areas and up till now, some of those military
barracks had yet to be recovered or rebuilt.

“The attack on the NDA is therefore not the first, second or
third time that the criminals would attack a military formation,
however, this is the only time that the bandits have the audacity
to take their fight to a military training institution.

“This is very unfortunate because they were so daring. I still
believe that the Nigerian Army and the Armed Forces have well
trained personnel who had done well in international
engagements.

“So they have the capacity just that they are overwhelmed
because they are facing many challenges from different fronts.
There is no part of the country that is free of security
challenges. I believe the insecurity situation is at its peak and
the terrorists are engaging in guerilla warfare to send signals
that they had not been eliminated.

“I have the confidence that before the end of the week, the
military will take a decisive action because I know I know that
that the commandant of the NDA, being a gallant soldier had
embarked on a massive manhunt that would yield results.

“It is the responsibility of the military personnel at this
stage to keep watch over one another and expose the activities of
the moles among them who could have sympathy for the insurgents and
prevent the unpatriotic insiders from giving out information that
could sabotage the good works the Nigerian military is doing to end
terror, banditry and other criminal activities in the country.

“Those who are making allegations that the sponsors of Boko
Haram should come out and give out specific facts to the security
agencies so that the alleged sponsors could be arrested, questioned
and prosecuted if any wrong doing is established against them.

“The institutions of government are there and they are willing
to listen and act appropriately. Anybody who is sure of himself and
armed with proven information or intelligence, should bring it
out.

“I am just being worried that the President is not talking to
Nigerians. In a situation like this, silence is not golden. If the
US President could be addressing Americans every day on the issue
in Afghanistan, I also expect President Muhammadu Buhari, to be
addressing Nigerians either daily, weekly or fortnightly on the
security situations across Nigeria.

“The usual statements from his media aides is not the solution.
The President should create a situation room to brief Nigerians on
the current situation and what his government is doing about it.
Such action would allay the fears of the people.

“It is not enough to provide the security agencies with
everything they need to prosecute the war, the President should
take charge. He should also cultivate the habit of visiting places
where incidents happen to physically assess the situation on
ground.”