Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, has urged the Nigerian military to intensify efforts to rescue schoolchildren abducted from Mussa and Lassa, as well as other victims taken from communities across Southern Borno.
Ndume made the appeal during a visit to the Theatre Command, North East ‘Operation HADIN KAI’, in Maiduguri, where he commended the military for its sustained campaign against insurgency. He also called for the rescue of passengers abducted along the Buratai axis and remaining victims from Ngoshe. The senator, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Army, said his visit was intended both to appreciate the security forces and draw renewed attention to families whose relatives remain in captivity.
“Most importantly, General, I know you are putting in your best efforts towards the rescue of our children in Mussa and Lassa, the passengers abducted along the Buratai axis and the remaining victims from Ngoshe.
“We know you are making efforts, but because of the anxiety we all share and the length of time these people have remained away from their families, I have to continue to push for greater effort,” Ndume said. He noted that some victims had spent more than 100 days away from their families. He said his appeal should not be interpreted as a failure to recognise the military’s sacrifices.
“Like Oliver Twist, I have come to ask for more for my people. It is my moral obligation to commend you when you do well and also bring the concerns of my constituents before you,” he said.
The Theatre Commander, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, said the Army planned to recruit about 1,000 youths from Southern Borno, particularly Gwoza Local Government Area, after an ongoing training exercise in Jos. He said the Army had also established new formations and deployed additional troops to vulnerable areas. Mandaragrau and Kirawa are among the locations with newly established battalions.
“Previously, much of the military activity around some of these areas was conducted from across the Cameroon side, but today, we have soldiers physically deployed on the ground, and this has encouraged the return of socio- economic activities,” he said.
Abubakar said a new Sector IV had been created to cover Southern Borno and Northern Adamawa, while 226 and 247 Battalions had been approved to strengthen operations.
“The two battalions are now fully functional, and going forward, you will see serious improvement in the security situation, particularly around the Chibok and Askira-Uba axis,” he assured.
He disclosed that “over 1,000 indigenous youths are currently undergoing military-related training through an initiative supported by the Chief of Army Staff in collaboration with the Borno State Government”. The commander said the next phase would target Gwoza, where almost 1,000 youths are expected to join the Army.
“The second focus will be Southern Borno, especially Gwoza LGA. We intend to take almost 1,000 youths from the zone into the military after we conclude the current exercise. That is equivalent to bringing almost three battalions from the area into the system,” he said.
Abubakar also said the Army expected more than 20 additional operational platforms before year-end and assured Ndume that Borno South would receive continued security attention.
“Be rest assured that your senatorial district will be safe and adequately covered,” the Theatre Commander said.
Ndume also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting the Armed Forces, particularly improvements in military personnel’s monthly salaries, and praised the improving civil-military relationship in the North-East. He maintained that rescuing the remaining Mussa Lassa abductees and other victims should remain a priority until affected families are reunited with their loved ones.
