TheCable

Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno south, has urged security agencies to speed up efforts to end insurgency.

On Tuesday, the Nigerian army said over 100 Boko Haram fighters with their families have surrendered to the troops.

On Thursday, the army also said troops killed 27 insurgents, while no fewer than 51 others were arrested in the last two weeks.

Speaking on the development when he appeared in an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, Ndume commended the security agencies for the feat achieved in the fight against insurgency.

The senator noted that the recent development shows that when the military gets the necessary resources, they will achieve results.

He, however, said insurgents who have surrendered should be carefully profiled and investigated, adding that the army should not treat such persons with kid gloves.

“It didn’t come to me as a surprise actually, because I’ve been saying for a long time that the armed forces and other security agencies of the country are handicapped, otherwise, they have the capacity and the ability to prosecute this war,” he said.

“Now that what they need is given to them, you can see the results within this short time. And I’m expecting more.

“It is only that as I have said before, there shouldn’t be blanket amnesty and pampering treatment to those who have surrendered.

“They should carefully be profiled, and there is no hurry in it. They should be in a hurry to capture and end this war, but not really be in a hurry to talk about this issue of resettlement, reintegration and all that.

“The first step after getting them is the resettlement of people, now that the war us getting to an end or is almost ending. Then, we talk about profiling, investigating and interrogating those that have surrendered.

“I think it is a welcome development and I have confidence that more is to be seen with the new leadership and the new cooperation and inter-agency cooperation between our various security agencies.

“Just as we have been criticising that the armed forces are not doing enough, now that they are doing enough, and there is hope, and there is light at the end of the tunnel, there is a need for Nigerians to come out to support the military by encouraging them, and commending them for what they have done.”