Attack in Borno: Senate hails Army, other security agencies

…Scores of Boko Haram Insurgents killed as Army repelled attack in Askira – Ndume

…As Senate President urges collaboration among security agencies to address Insecurity

…Says intelligence critical to curbing insurgency, attacks against citizens

By Henry Umoru

THE Senate yesterday commended the Nigeria Army and other security agencies for repelling the attack in Askira, Borno State  by  Boko Haram insurgents, with scores of the terrorists killed.

Speaking with Journalists yesterday in Abuja, Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, APC, Borno South declared that scores of Boko Haram Insurgents were killed in Askira town , Borno State on Wednesday , when the Army and operatives of other military outfits, repelled their attack .

Ndume who noted that  the attack and counter attack , took place in Askira town at about 4:00pm,  said that the Insurgents attacked the town with their usual gun trucks totaling about 11 but met their Waterloo in the counter attack launched against them men of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Ndume said: ” The Boko Haram insurgents attacked Askira yesterday ( Wednesday)  at about 4pm with about 11 gun trucks but the combined efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces   they were subdued.

“The gun trucks were destroyed and the soldiers killed almost all the insurgents that came for the attacks.

” This was as a result of the immediate response of the Nigerian Armed Force in Yola and Maiduguri.

” The combined efforts of the Nigerian Army in Chibok who are near Askira that gave them support.

“I  commend the efforts of the men of the Armed Forces which has now giving the people confidence that when they hear any information and contact the Army, they would come to their aid.

“The operation was professionally executed as there was no loss of lives or property of the indigenes except the killings of the insurgents that attacked the town”.

Meanwhile, the President of the Senate, Senator  Ahmad Lawan yesterday called on the security agencies to partner and collaborate among themselves especially in the sharing of intelligence.

Lawan gave the advice yesterday in Abuja  when he received in audience, Course 14 Participants from the National Institute for Security Studies, led by the Commandant, Mr. Ayodele Saheed Adeleke, however underscored the importance of intelligence gathering towards guaranteeing the security of lives and property.

He urged the participants to take their training in intelligence gathering seriously, and appealed to security agencies in the country to adopt an approach that encourages collaboration in intelligence sharing and coordination.

Lawan said, “We need you to be well trained, so that you would help in the fight against all the numerous challenges that we face today, by providing the necessary and relevant information in time for us to nip in the bud, or at least, reduce the extent of damage.

“And, I will take this opportunity also, to appeal to the various security agencies to always partner, collaborate and coordinate their activities.

“Those in charge of intelligence, please, it is mandatory that when you gather intelligence, you pass the intelligence to the other agencies that need them to operate properly, otherwise, that is not of any use if that agency cannot have access to them.

“For a long time, we have been complaining about coordination and partnership between the various security agencies. It is necessary that we are able to achieve that.”

According to him, the efficient gathering of information amounts to effective intelligence needed to curb insecurity across parts of the country from activities such as banditry, kidnapping, insurgency, and militancy.

READ ALSO: Troops neutralise 13 Boko Haram, ISWAP terrorists in Borno -Army

He said, “The place of intelligence in security is so paramount, in fact, in many cases, intelligence helps to curb potential and devastatingly dangerous attacks against citizens.

“In countries where there is so much success in fighting insecurity, the position of intelligence is so secured and well supported, and, therefore, functions almost optimally by providing the kind of information that is required to nip in the bud potential damages and massacres.”

Lawan, in his assessment of the security in the situation in the North-east part of the country, noted that insurgency had been drastically curtailed by the intervention of the military.

He, therefore, pledged the support of the National Assembly to the military in sustaining the fight against insurgency North-East, and curbing the menace of banditry, kidnapping and militancy in other states of the federation.

“We all know that our country today, is challenged seriously by insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, militancy and even cybercrime.

“On insurgency, we can say we did very well from 2015 to date, by curbing and curtailing the insurgency in the country, because before 2015, our situation was dire in the North-East.

“In the last two to three months, personally, I’ve observed serious improvement in our war against insurgency in the North-East, and we are very prayerful and hopeful to be supportive to ensure that the new Service Chiefs get every possible support from us, so that they are able to continue with their success and trajectory in the fight against insurgency in the North-East, ditto the fight against banditry, kidnapping, and of course, militancy,” Lawan said.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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