The senator representing Borno south, Ali Ndume, has raised fresh concerns about the tactics being adopted by insurgents in Borno state.
He disclosed that the explosives used in the recent attacks in were transported using tricycles, popularly known as ‘Keke NAPEP’.
On Monday, 23 persons were killed while 108 others sustained injuries following bomb blasts at three locations in Maiduguri. The explosions occurred at a market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office flyover.
Speaking on Channels Television on Thursday night, Ndume said the terrorists employed a known but dangerous pattern of operation.
“What they do is hit and run. They gather, share information among themselves, and most dangerously, they also get information from some citizens. They have informants within society,” he said.
“You can imagine, even the bomb that exploded was delivered by a Keke NAPEP. This is not something new; they package it and use people in Keke NAPEP to deliver it to specific spots.”
Ndume warned that the situation is worsened by gaps in intelligence, stressing that security agencies must enhance their surveillance capacity.
“The problem is a lack of adequate intelligence,” he said, noting that insurgents now operate with boldness.
“You can imagine that bandits and terrorists in Nigeria now have the audacity to record their atrocities on TikTok and send them out.”
He questioned the effectiveness of existing monitoring systems, suggesting that authorities should be capable of tracking insurgents if similar surveillance can be applied to individuals.
“If I can be monitored, what stops the security and intelligence agencies from getting information about the whereabouts and the activities of the terrorists?” he queried.
Ndume also criticised the government’s response to insecurity, saying efforts so far have not matched the magnitude of the challenge.
“The government, I must say, are not walking the talk,” he said.
“The security agencies and soldiers up till now still do not have the training, equipment, ammunition and motivation.”
While acknowledging the commitment of , the lawmaker insisted that more decisive measures are required.
“You need to abandon everything and concentrate on security and welfare of citizens… even if that amounts to shutting down the government, let it be done,” he said.
He stressed that troops cannot effectively confront insurgents without adequate support.
“They can’t do it with bare hands. They can’t do it without air support if the ground troops are going to face the enemies.”
Referring to the recent military success in Malam Fatori, Abadam LGA of Borno state, where troops of Operation Hadin Kai reportedly killed 61 ISWAP insurgents, Ndume said the outcome highlighted the importance of sufficient support.
“You could see from Malam Fatori that there was adequate air cover… and the military did what they needed to do and they were successful,” he said.
“If we continue like that consistently, this thing can be done in less than six months.”
He expressed optimism following support from the United States and urged authorities to ensure visible results.
“Now that the American government has agreed to give us intelligence support and training, let us see it working,” the senator added.