By SUNTV Global Channel | December 27, 2025
Former Senate Leader and lawmaker representing Borno South, Senator Ali Ndume, has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to extend its renewed military cooperation with the United States to Nigeria’s insurgency-ravaged North-East, where Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) continue to operate with deadly impunity.
Ndume made the call on Saturday while reacting to recent US-led airstrikes reportedly carried out against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) cells in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State. He said similar operations should be replicated in long-troubled areas of the North-East still under the grip of terrorist groups.
The strikes were disclosed by former United States President Donald Trump via his Truth Social platform, where he claimed that the American Department of War conducted “numerous precision strikes” on terror cells. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, later confirmed the operation, stressing that it was carried out with Nigeria’s consent, based on intelligence collaboration, and did not violate the country’s sovereignty or target any religious group.
Welcoming the development, Ndume described the US–Nigeria collaboration as a positive shift in the fight against terrorism but warned that limiting such efforts to only parts of the country would leave the most vulnerable communities exposed.
“We welcome this cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in targeting terrorist hideouts,” Ndume said. “But I am calling on both governments to extend it to the North-East, where ISWAP and Boko Haram still maintain three major strongholds — Lake Chad, the Mandara Mountains and the Sambisa Forest.”
The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army also advocated for deeper military cooperation beyond airstrikes. According to him, Nigeria needs sustained support in areas such as training, intelligence sharing, logistics, and the deployment of attack helicopters to strengthen ground forces battling to secure and hold reclaimed territories.
Ndume further commended President Tinubu for allocating the largest share of the 2026 Appropriation Bill to defence, describing it as a step in the right direction. However, he cautioned that without strict transparency and accountability, the increased funding could fail to deliver meaningful results.
“This government has done well by prioritising defence in the budget. But spending must be monitored. The money must be used strictly for what it is meant for,” he said.
Reacting to the recent deadly attack on a mosque in Gamboru, Maiduguri, which left several worshippers dead and others injured, Ndume expressed condolences to the affected families. He said the incident further exposes the false narrative that terrorism in Nigeria is driven by religion.
“The attack in Gamboru is a stark reminder that terrorists have no regard for religion. In this case, all the victims were Muslims,” Ndume stated. “This clearly shows that the narrative of a Christian genocide does not exist. These terrorists are simply out to make life unbearable for our people, regardless of faith.”
SUNTV Global Channel reports that Ndume’s call adds to growing pressure on the federal government to adopt more decisive and coordinated international military strategies to finally end over a decade of insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East.
