Former Senate Leader Ali Ndume on Wednesday commended President Bola Tinubu’s recent security interventions, saying the measures introduced following the declaration of a national emergency on insecurity are beginning to yield visible results.
Ndume, who spoke in a statement issued in Abuja, said the renewed national security push — including efforts to reclaim ungoverned spaces and strengthen inter-agency collaboration — had significantly improved operations across the country.
One of the key directives recently issued by the Presidency was the order to the Department of State Services to deploy its trained forest guards to dislodge bandits from forests and other remote hideouts. Tinubu had earlier vowed that there would be “no more hiding places for agents of evil,” alongside ongoing recruitment drives into the police and army to bolster overstretched security units.
Reacting to these steps, Ndume praised the deployment of forest guards and the synergy it has created within security formations. He noted that their participation had “gone a long way to complement the efforts of the Nigerian Army,” adding that troops had expressed satisfaction with the added support.
The lawmaker, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, also acknowledged improvements in troop welfare and morale. While noting recent adjustments to military remuneration, he said more work was needed to bring pay levels closer to those of other armed forces within the sub-region.
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Ndume further highlighted ongoing upgrades in equipment and logistics, citing improvements in uniforms, protective gear, arms, boots, and bulletproof vests. He, however, urged the Federal Government to intensify support for frontline operations by procuring more attack helicopters, Armoured Personnel Carriers, and gun trucks.
Representing Borno South Senatorial District, one of the areas most affected by insurgency, Ndume also commended Governor Babagana Zulum for his continued support of military and security agencies. He said Zulum had invested over ₦100bn in assisting the Army, Civilian JTF, police, and other security formations, efforts he described as highly commendable.
He called on other northern governors to emulate the Borno governor’s commitment to security operations.