MAIDUGURI BOMBS ATTACK DELIVERED THROUGH TRICYCLE- NDUME

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HOTJIST NEWS

Ali Ndume, a senator representing Borno South, has raised new concerns about the tactics employed by insurgents in Borno state. He also mentioned that the bombs used in recent attacks in Maiduguri were transported via tricycles, locally referred to as a Keke NAPEP

On Monday, 13 people were killed, with 108 injured, as a result of bomb blasts in three locations in Maiduguri. The bombs exploded at a market, the gate of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and the Post Office flyover.

On Thursday night, speaking on television, Ndume explained that the terrorists are using a known but dangerous method.

He said, “What they do is attack and then quickly leave.
They gather together, share information with each other, and even more dangerously, they get information from some citizens. They have people inside society who give them tips.“

”You can imagine, even the bomb that exploded was delivered by a Keke NAPEP. This is not something new; they package it and use people in Keke NAPEP to deliver it to specific spots.”

Ndume warned that the situation is compounded by intelligence gaps, stressing that security agencies must improve their surveillance capabilities.

“The problem is a lack of adequate intelligence,” he said, noting that insurgents now operate with boldness.

“You can imagine that bandits and terrorists in Nigeria now have the audacity to record their atrocities on TikTok and send them out.”

He questioned the effectiveness of existing monitoring systems, suggesting that authorities should be able to track insurgents if similar surveillance can be applied to public figures.

“If I can be monitored, what stops the security and intelligence agencies from getting information about the whereabouts and the activities of the terrorists?” he queried.

Ndume also criticised the government’s response to insecurity, saying efforts so far have not matched the scale of the challenge.

“The government, I must say, are not walking the talk,” he said.

“The security agencies and soldiers up till now still do not have the training, equipment, ammunition and motivation.”

While acknowledging President Bola Tinubu’s commitment, the lawmaker insisted that more decisive action is needed.

“You need to abandon everything and concentrate on security and welfare of citizens… even if that amounts to shutting down the government, let it be done,” he said.

He stressed that troops cannot effectively combat insurgents without proper support.

“They can’t do it with just their hands. They can’t do it without air help if the soldiers are going to fight the enemy on the ground,” Ndume said. He was talking about recent victories in Malam Fatori, a place in Abadam LGA of Borno state. There, troops from Operation Hadin Kai reportedly killed 61 ISWAP fighters. Ndume said this showed how important it is to have enough support.“