Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, has asked the federal government and the United States to extend the joint military operations against terrorists to the north-east.
Ndume commended the US precision-guided munitions (PGMs) against two major terrorists’ enclaves in the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza LGA, Sokoto state.
In a statement on Saturday, the lawmaker said the military cooperation between Nigeria and the US should also include training for the ground troops, intelligence and logistics.
Ndume said the operations should be extended to Lake Chad, the Mandara Mountains and Sambisa, which, according to him, are three known black spots of terrorists in the north-east.
“We welcome this cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in targeting terrorists’ hideouts,” the statement reads.
“I am calling on them to extend it to the North east where ISWAP and Boko Haram have their three known black spots: Lake Chad, Mandara Mountain and Sambisa, which are exclusive strongholds of ISWAP and Boko Haram.
“I also want to suggest that the military cooperation with the United States should extend to ground troops in training, intelligence and logistics.
“They should also back it up with attack helicopter support for ground troops.”
Ndume sympathised with the victims of the bomb explosion that killed about five persons and injured many at a mosque in Gamboru market, Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.
On Christmas Day, the US launched a series of air strikes on ISIS terrorists in Sokoto.
Communities in Sokoto and Kwara had reported explosions at the same time the US launched the operations against the terrorists’ enclaves.
The defence headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that the armed forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with the US, carried out the strike operations.
