|By Chinwendu Nwani
Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has called on the Federal Government to expand its joint military operations with the United States against terrorist enclaves to Nigeria’s Northeast, citing the persistent threat posed by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram.
Ndume made the appeal on Saturday while reacting to recent U.S.-backed military airstrikes that dismantled Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) cells in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State. He praised the operation, describing it as a decisive blow against terrorism in the country’s Northwest.
The call followed an announcement by United States President, Donald Trump, that U.S. forces had launched airstrikes on terrorist targets in Northwest Nigeria. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, later confirmed the development, stating that the strikes were conducted with Nigeria’s full cooperation, approval, and intelligence support. He emphasized that the operation neither breached Nigeria’s sovereignty nor targeted any religious group.
Reacting, Ndume, a former Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Army, said extending the joint military offensive to the Northeast would significantly weaken ISWAP and Boko Haram, whose operations continue to destabilize the region.
He identified Lake Chad, the Mandara Mountains, and the Sambisa Forest as three major terror enclaves that require sustained aerial and ground pressure.
“We welcome this cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in targeting terrorists’ hideouts,” Ndume said. “But it should be extended to the Northeast, where ISWAP and Boko Haram maintain exclusive strongholds.”
The lawmaker further urged both countries to deepen military collaboration beyond airstrikes, advocating enhanced training, intelligence sharing, logistics support, and the deployment of attack helicopters to strengthen ground troops.
Ndume also commended President Bola Tinubu for earmarking the highest-ever allocation to defence in the proposed 2026 budget. However, he stressed the need for strict accountability and transparency in the management of the funds to ensure tangible results in the fight against insurgency.
Commenting on the recent suicide bomb attack at a mosque in Gamboru, Maiduguri, which claimed five lives and left several others injured, Ndume expressed sympathy to the victims and bereaved families.
He noted that the incident underscored the fact that terrorist groups operate without religious bias.
“The attack in Gamboru, which occurred on the eve of Christmas, shows clearly that terrorists do not care about religion. All the victims were Muslims. This debunks the narrative of Christian genocide. The terrorists tormenting our people are blind to faith,” he said.
