Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume has raised alarm that parts of Borno and the wider North East risk falling under terrorist control if urgent action is not taken.
Ndume called on the federal government to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s capacity to tackle insurgency and banditry. The senator representing Borno South made the appeal on Tuesday, the 24th of March, 2026.
Recent reports show that Boko Haram fighters, alongside the Islamic State–West Africa Province (ISWAP), launched coordinated attacks on Ngoshe in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The assaults left soldiers, the village head, and several community elders, including a woman, dead.
Ndume visited Ngoshe and Pulka with officials of the Borno State Government and Governor Professor Babagana Zulum, where he expressed deep concern over the security situation.
He noted that troops were initially overpowered by the terrorists’ superior weapons.
He said, “I am calling on the federal government to double its efforts in equipping the Army with sophisticated arms and ammunition.
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“I gathered that our soldiers lacked adequate ammunition, and they retreated from Ngoshe and Pulka because the terrorists overwhelmed them. It was only days after reinforcements arrived that they regained control. Nothing was left standing in Ngoshe and Pulka by the terrorists.
“I have visited Ngoshe; it isn’t something you can describe. For someone who has seen it, the town has been brought down to ground zero.
“That’s what I witnessed. The destruction is complete. There is nothing left standing except one small mosque. The people are resilient, the governor is determined to rebuild Ngoshe, and there is an urgent need for federal government intervention.
“I will talk with my colleagues at the National Assembly, and we will collectively, in both Houses, move a motion. But before then, we expect the federal government to intervene. This is necessary because the people are still resilient. I have interacted with them, they are determined; some even refused to go into the cities, wanting to return home. Since they have that determination, the government must rebuild the place.
“I must commend the Nigerian Army for retaking Ngoshe. After we returned, the Governor spent a night in Pulka, and I must commend him. I see the psychological impact of that, and we want to thank him on behalf of my people. It is something we will never forget,” he added.