By SUNTV Global Channel | January 29, 2026
Senator Ali Ndume has called on Nigeria to urgently capitalise on renewed United States support to deliver a decisive blow to terrorist groups operating in the country, warning that a rare strategic window could soon close if not fully utilised.
Speaking on ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, the lawmaker representing Borno South said the combination of the ongoing dry season, clearer battlefield visibility and improved intelligence collaboration with the United States presents a critical opportunity to crush insurgent enclaves in the North-East and other troubled regions.
“We must not miss this opportunity,” Ndume said. “The situation has improved, but it is not over until it is completely over.”
A former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Ndume explained that the dry season traditionally favours military operations, as reduced vegetation and receding floodwaters expose insurgent movements, making them easier to detect and disrupt.
According to him, the Nigerian Armed Forces have already made progress in key terror strongholds, including Sambisa Forest, the Mandara Mountains and the Lake Chad axis, aided by improved intelligence sharing and limited equipment support.
However, the senator warned that these gains could be reversed if troops remain under-equipped and insufficiently protected.
Despite praising the commitment of the military, Ndume stressed that soldiers still lack critical resources needed to decisively end the war against Boko Haram, ISWAP and other terror groups.
“They still need what I call TEAM—training, equipment, ammunition and motivation,” he said. “No matter how committed soldiers are, without proper equipment and morale boosters, casualties will continue.”
Ndume lamented what he described as avoidable losses, noting that many soldiers are killed not during direct combat but through landmines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and suicide attacks.
“We lose more soldiers from landmines and IEDs,” he said. “If they had MRAPs and adequate air cover from attack helicopters, these areas would be cleared in a very short time.”
The senator also revealed a significant shift in the United States’ posture towards Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, saying Washington is now more willing to share intelligence after years of hesitation.
“Before now, the Americans were reluctant to give us intelligence support, but now they are willing,” Ndume noted. “This is why we must act decisively.”
On defence funding, Ndume dismissed claims that the National Assembly has failed the military, disclosing that the defence sector received the highest allocation in the current national budget.
He argued, however, that the major challenge lies in delays in the release of approved funds by the executive arm of government.
“The National Assembly budgets and approves; the executive executes,” he said. “Once a budget is approved, it should be followed religiously.”
Ndume further clarified that lawmakers’ oversight role begins only after funds are released, stressing that the responsibility for disbursement rests with the President and the executive.
He also called for a reform of Nigeria’s security financing framework, urging that defence spending be treated as non-discretionary, similar to practices in the United States.
“Security funding should not depend on bureaucratic decisions or delays,” he said.
When asked about reports of a possible U.S. airstrike on terrorist targets in Sokoto State, the senator declined to comment, citing an upcoming closed-door briefing for lawmakers.
“It would be immature and improper for me to pre-empt the briefing by Senate leadership,” Ndume said.
