Insecurity: What Nigerian govt, army must do – Ben Bruce

 

A former Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Ben Murray-Bruce, has advised the Nigerian government to hire mercenaries in its fight against terrorists and bandits in the country.

He said this in a video on social media in which he commended the Nigerian government for seeking international help over the insecurity in the country and terrorism in West Africa.

Murray-Bruce, however, stated that more needs to be done, adding that the military needs to improve their intelligence gathering and to also infiltrate the terror groups and their hideouts.

He said, “During the virtual meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and the American Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, he appealed to the United State to relocate its Africa Military Command based in Europe to West Africa to help tackle terrorism in the region.

“The Nigerian government I finally seeking international assistance in its resolve to defeat terrorism, banditry and all form of criminality, particularly in the North-East and the North-West. This is a good development but not enough.

“We must also deploy mercenaries to complement our force to deal with the terrorists and bandits. The Nigerian Army must also get helicopter gunships and deploy them in theatres of conflict, especially on the frontlines to support the soldiers on the ground.

“Military experts from around the world say you cannot defeat insurgents who engage in asymmetric warfare without helicopter gunships. They say it is not just possible and those who have tried without it in different parts of the world have failed to win and only end up with a prolonged drawn-out war.

“The military must also improve their intelligence gathering backed by technology, infiltrate the terror groups and their hideouts. Our troops must also change their method of operation by also deploying guerrilla tactics and beating the terrorists at their own game.”