By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South) has called on President Bola Tinubu to temporarily hire the services of military contractors to wipe out the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists in Borno State.

Ndume, who hailed the gallant performance of the military and Civilian JTF, said they’re ill-equipped to carry out the task of eliminating the remaining insurgents who operate within.

His call followed the renewal of attacks by Boko Haram terrorists, which on Monday in Ngoshe, Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, launched a fresh attack that resulted in the slaughtering of six farmers and the abduction of five, including women.

During the attack, the Commander of Civilian JTF in the area, Jubril Dada Zarana, was killed by the terrorists, with no military casualties, according to

Filibus Yakubu, councilor representing Ngoshe ward, Gwoza Local Government Area, in a telephone conversation.

Yakubu said the terrorists ambushed the farmers while they were busy with their farming activities, adding that security agents (Army and CJTF) “tried their best to protect the people, but they could not hold them for long. Jubril Dada Zarana was killed with honor in defending his people with the other victims.”

He said: “The Boko Haram terrorists released three women from which this information was obtained. The released women further stated that the victims are being kept hostage by the terrorists

“Moreover, some people were still missing as at this time that we’re talking as a result of this incident. The people did not return to Ngoshe during the catastrophe, and as reported by the released women, they are not part of the ones abducted.

“It is an Independence Day, a day of celebration of freedom, human rights, progress, and unity. But for our people, it is a day of sorrow, despair, infringement, destitution, helplessness, and total dilemma.

“Our people are severely suffering due to lack of essential life support, but they have chosen to remain in their fatherland because of the love they have for it. The State Government has really tried for our people, but NGOs and others are not providing us with food supplies.

“The little farming of which they have hope for survival, they have to put their lives along the line in order to harvest what they have planted. People of Ngoshe and the neighbouring villages (Gava, Agapalawa, Amuda, Chinene, Chikide, Dhugwade, Kwadale, Bokko, Barawa, Kughum) etc. Only God can come to our aid. Part of the people of the aforementioned villages currently live in Ngoshe.

“May Allah have mercy on the deceased. May Allah free the abducted. May Almighty God release the missing people. May Almighty Allah grant us lasting peace in our Gwoza, Borno State, and Nigeria at large.”

Preferring solutions to the incessant attacks on the people by the Boko Haram terrorists, Senator Ndume said the superpower of the world hired military contractors to aid them in their warfare, so there’s no reason why Nigeria can’t follow suit.

He listed the United States of America, Russia, the United Kingdom, and France, among others, as countries that have often engaged the services of military contractors.

For him, able-bodied Nigerian youths can be drafted to raise the number of military men in the country to at least one million.

“All across the world, governments hire the services of military contractors to engage in certain places. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can consider this as a short measure. These contractors will work with our military and Civilian JTF, who understand the terrain.

“These contractors will come with their equipment and military hardware. In a very short time, they’ll eliminate those Boko Haram terrorists. The contractors can also be used to eliminate those bandits operating in the North West.

“Over a period, the Federal Government can now recruit youths to join the military and raise the number to at least one million. But in the interim, I think the President should consider this option of hiring military contractors,” Ndume, who is currently away in Benin Republic for an ECOWAS Parliament engagement, stated in a telephone conversation.