Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently intensify efforts to secure the release of more than 400 abducted residents of Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area.
The victims, mostly women and children, were reportedly abducted last month by insurgents linked to Boko Haram during a violent ആക്രമation that left the community devastated and military formations destroyed.
Speaking to journalists on Monday, Ndume described the situation as deeply troubling, acknowledging that authorities at the federal level had fallen short of public expectations in fulfilling their constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property.
“It is appalling that those of us in authority have not met the expectations of our people,” he said, urging the Federal Government to take swift and decisive action to rescue those still in captivity.
The senator, who represents Borno South, noted that although the military has since regained control of Ngoshe, displaced residents remain scattered, with many taking refuge in Pulka.
He stressed that efforts must go beyond security operations to include rehabilitation and resettlement.
Ndume appealed for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government and the Borno State Government, which has already released N100 million to kick-start reconstruction efforts in the affected community.
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He urged key federal agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency, and the Ministry of Housing, to intervene promptly and support rebuilding efforts.
According to him, many displaced residents are eager to return home, even if it means living in temporary shelters while reconstruction is ongoing.
“The people want to go back and rebuild their lives. They are ready to stay in improvised camps rather than remain displaced,” Ndume said.
He also commended the resilience and bravery of Nigerian troops operating in the North-East, despite challenges related to training, equipment, and logistics.
The lawmaker further called for increased international collaboration, particularly with the United States, to dismantle terrorist strongholds in areas such as Sambisa Forest, the Mandara Mountains, and the Lake Chad region.
Ndume reiterated his advocacy for what he described as the “TEAM” approach—Training, Equipment, Ammunition, and Mobilisation—to strengthen the operational effectiveness of the armed forces.
He concluded by urging the President to reinvigorate his earlier declaration of emergency on security, warning that renewed insurgent attacks indicate that previous gains may be slipping.
“The government must act decisively to ensure Nigeria is no longer a safe haven for terrorists,” he said.