In a significant call for increased security cooperation, Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South, has urged the Federal Government to extend the scope of its joint military operations with the United States to include the North-East. This appeal follows the high-profile airstrikes recently carried out by the U.S. military against Islamic State targets in the North-West, a move that has signaled a new phase in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts.
Speaking on Saturday, Senator Ndume commended the precision of the strikes on ISIS cells located in the Tangaza local government area of Sokoto State. The operation, which took place on Christmas Day at the direction of U.S. President Donald Trump, was confirmed by Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar. The Minister clarified that the mission was conducted with the full approval and intelligence support of the Nigerian government, emphasizing that it was a joint effort to protect innocent lives rather than an action directed at any specific religious group.
Senator Ndume believes that replicating this level of cooperation in the North-East would provide the necessary leverage to finally dismantle the strongholds of Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The lawmaker pointed out that these groups have long sought refuge in three notorious “black spots”: the Lake Chad region, the Mandara Mountains, and the Sambisa Forest.
“We welcome this renewed collaboration between Nigeria and the United States in taking the fight directly to the terrorists,” Ndume stated. He argued that focusing joint military assets on these specific geographic strongholds would significantly weaken the insurgents’ operational capacity. By expanding these precision strikes to the North-East, the Senator believes the government can accelerate the return of peace and stability to the communities that have been most affected by over a decade of conflict.
The Senator’s plea highlights a growing sentiment that international partnerships, backed by advanced intelligence and technology, are vital in curbing the persistence of violent extremism in Nigeria. As the military continues to assess the impact of the Sokoto strikes, all eyes remain on whether the government will heed this call to intensify the campaign across the Lake Chad basin.
