A Nigerian Senator Representing Southern part of Borno State in North-east of the Country Senator Ali Ndume has advocated the engagement of Private Military Consultants PMC in tackling Banditry, Kidnapping and Boko Haram insurgency in the country.
Senator Ndume made this position in an interview with journalists in Kano state Northwest Nigeria at the sideline of the just concluded Constitution review retreat.
Ndume recalled how the engagement of the services of the Private Military Consultants from South Africa in collaboration with the Nigerian Army significantly flushed insurgents out of Maiduguri at the peak of Boko Haram during the Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2014.
He said; “Boko Haram reached its peak in 2014, during the last days of former president Jonathan, some body advised him to engage Private Military Consultant PMC and they did and entered agreement with PMC from South Africa and flushed Boko Haram.
The PMC collaborated with the Nigerian Armed Forces, recruited youths Civilian JTF because they know the bad guys and that was when you heard that Boko Haram ran from Maiduguri.”
Military capabilities:
The Federal legislator also expressed optimism with the capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces in tackling security challenges bedeviling the country if the manpower is increased and the right equipments are provided.
Senator Ndume believed that, “the use of modern technology in the fight against banditry and Kidnapping will yield positive results in tracing and tracking criminals.”
He said; “The Nigerian Army are known for their agility, competence, Professionalism, for their commitment.
“If you give the Armed Forces what it takes and a dateline I’m sure they will achieve it.”
The lawmaker said the government can address insecurity within six months or at most one year when with manpower and equipments.
Senator Ndume said, “in today’s technology, with improvement in ICT, I can tell you now the government and other security agencies, police, NIA DSS, NSA, I’m telling you they know where I am right now. They have the capacity. If you can do that to an individual, what stops you from tracing where Turji is or criminals.”
“Recruit more people into the Nigerian Army, we have the youths, they are willing to serve, but no opportunity.
If the country is serious the issue of particularly Boko Haram, Bandits, Kidnapping and other criminalities can be tackled.”
State Police:
Speaking on the creation of state Police, Senator Ndume advocated for Training, providing Equipment, Arming and Motivating the Police for efficiency.
He said the country’s police is inadequate compared with the growing population with a manageable welfare adding that increasing their number with adequate training and equipment, the police will do better.
The lawmaker said, “I don’t support state police because of two reason. Right now we have less than 400,000 police nationwide and you are clamoring for the creation of another state police. Why don’t you increase the number and do what I called TEAM Training, Equipment, Armed, and Motivation and then adopt united nations recommendations on policing.”
“We are two hundred and thirty million or there about and we have less than 400,000 police and less than 200,000 Armed Forces, all our paramilitary personnel are just nearly 1 million. We don’t have Army reserve.”
“For me let’s have the number, because is grossly in adequate and not because there are no people to join the police, but because the provision is not made.” Senator Ndume stressed.
“Let us be serious, let us concentrate on security and welfare of our citizens, let us not treat our problems supper facially by pretending,” he added.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
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