Lawmakers from Borno State on Tuesday raised alarm over the increasing sophistication of Boko Haram attacks, revealing that the insurgents now use armed drones and are backed by foreign fighters.
Rep. Ahmed Jaha (APC-Borno) made the disclosure during plenary at the House of Representatives, citing recent attacks in Chibok and Pulka.
“They now use drones equipped with guns and explosives. This is beyond ordinary insurgency,” he said.
Jaha, who represents Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency, lamented that despite N19.7 trillion spent on security from 2015 to 2019, insurgents remain emboldened.
He said 10 farmers were killed in Pulka and 14 in Chibok in separate attacks while scavenging for food. He also noted that Nigerian troops were lost in battles at Izge and Kampu.
Rep. Zainab Gimba (APC-Borno), representing Bama/Ngala/Kala-Balge, corroborated Jaha’s claims, saying over 20 soldiers were killed during an ambush on a Multinational Joint Task Force base.
“Foreign fighters, including white men, were reportedly among the attackers,” she said.
Gimba criticised the location of military barracks in city centres, referring to a recent fire at Giwa Barracks, Maiduguri, and warned that the withdrawal of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso from ECOWAS further exposes Nigeria’s borders.
Both lawmakers called for an urgent review of the nation’s military strategy to prevent further loss of lives and territory.
