The House of Representatives was thrown into heated debate on Tuesday as lawmakers from Borno State raised urgent concerns about the worsening security situation in Nigeria’s northeast, revealing that Boko Haram insurgents have adopted more advanced and deadlier tactics, including the use of armed drones.
Ahmed Jaha, who represents Chibok/Damboa/Gwoza Federal Constituency, told fellow lawmakers that Boko Haram has resurged with unprecedented firepower, slaughtering farmers and outgunning the military.
“They now use gun and bomb drones,” he said, urging immediate and serious intervention.
Jaha lamented that despite N19.7 trillion spent on security between 2015 and 2019, insurgents remain emboldened.
He recounted recent attacks in Pulka and Chibok where dozens of farmers were killed and others injured or missing.
“This is no longer hearsay. I was there myself. In Pulka, 10 farmers were killed while scavenging. In Chibok, 14 more were murdered,” he said, adding that Nigerian soldiers were also lost in battles at Izge and Kampu.
Zainab Gimba, representing Bama/Ngala/Kala-Balge Federal Constituency, corroborated Jaha’s claims, disclosing that Boko Haram fighters ambushed a multinational joint task force base in her constituency, killing over 20 soldiers.
Alarmingly, she said foreign fighters were among the attackers. “The commander confirmed that several white men were seen among the insurgents,” Gimba stated.
She also criticized the siting of military barracks in city centers, referencing the recent fire outbreak at Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri.
Gimba warned that the withdrawal of countries like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso from ECOWAS weakens regional cooperation, posing additional security threats at Nigeria’s borders.
Both lawmakers called for urgent, comprehensive oversight and re-evaluation of military strategies to prevent further loss of life and territory, stressing that Boko Haram is returning with greater force and sophistication.
