Ndume Urges Tinubu To Equip Military, Raise Salaries To Tackle Insecurity

The senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume has warned that Nigeria’s persistent security failures stem largely from the country’s inability to track criminals in real time, blaming the problem on an inadequate national satellite system and poor remuneration of the armed forces.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Ndume said Nigeria lacks the technological backbone required to confront the scale of terrorism and banditry ravaging the country.

He lamented that despite having satellites in orbit, the country still cannot trace abductors, locate missing citizens or monitor criminal movements across vulnerable zones.

“But you know that one of the fundamental problems we have in the security sector is that we don’t have ability to track criminals real time. And the satellite we are talking about, Nigeria has only four, and one is, as you say, it has issues, but we have four.

“It is big enough, but it’s not adequate to solve the security challenges because why are we not able to trace the general that is missing in action? It’s because we don’t have adequate tracking system,” he said.

According to him, satellite capacity not just boots on the ground is central to modern warfare, noting that even the U.S. has more than 5,000 to 8,500 satellites out there, while Nigeria is limited to just a handful without real-time imaging ability.

He also said that Nigeria’s satellites are only orbiting and cannot deliver the proper surveillance needed to monitor terrorist movement across forests and rural communities.

“We don’t have the satellite images that is required. We only have aerial images,” he explained, adding that current Nigerian Air Force assets like UAVs and Tucano aircraft cannot operate effectively without proper satellite coverage.

He linked Nigeria’s technological weakness to the rising casualties and abductions in the North-East, including the resurfacing of mass kidnappings questioning why Nigeria still struggles to track large-scale abductions carried out on motorbikes.

“If you put the flashlight on them or air surveillance, you’ll be able to track them. Even low-level aerial support would disrupt attacks. But you can’t see what is happening in Sambisa. You can’t see what is happening in the forest of Kebbi. You need to get that technology,” he said.

He insisted his claims were from credible sources and blamed the country’s insecurity on poor investment in technology and insufficient manpower. He said that it is disgraceful that a small number of terrorists still overwhelm a large population.

Turning to the withdrawal of police personnel from VIP’s, Ndume backed President Bola Tinubu’s directive, saying he has long advocated that police officers attached to politicians, families of officials, and private individuals should be withdrawn and redeployed to secure the general population as the practice had long undermined public safety.

THE WHISTLER reports that his comments come days after President Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police officers from VIP escort and guard duties.

In a statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the directive was aimed at redeploying police manpower to core law enforcement responsibilities.

Speaking, Ndume explained that many public office holders move with security details that are unnecessarily large, even when their positions do not warrant such heavy protection

He recalled visiting the residence of a colleague and finding “more than 10 policemen” attached to him, despite the lawmaker being junior to him in the National Assembly.

“I went to one of my colleagues’ house for dinner. And I saw more than 10 policemen. He is even my junior in the National Assembly. Some of them, if you see them coming, you will pull back thinking that maybe it’s the President or the Vice President that is coming.

“You can see even the president, the convoy that the president goes about with is too much. Secure the place and when the president goes, you withdraw. Secure Abuja and the president can even drive out, you know, himself.

“But when you secure personalities, and this is what is happening in Nigeria, then others, common people, as we call them, become vulnerable, and we don’t care. So if you secure Abuja, then you can drive at night. And let me tell you, this is what is happening in most countries,” he said recounting his trip to Côte d’Ivoire.

Furthermore, Ndume expressed concern over the dire remuneration of soldiers and security personnel, saying their welfare is incompatible with the enormous risks they bear.

He recalled that until recently, a private in the Nigerian Army earned just N50,000 monthly and even after recent reviews now earns about N104,000, which he argued is still grossly inadequate.

According to him, “How can you pay someone N50,000 or even N100,000 and expect him to give his best? A private in the American system earns over $2,000 monthly but our men are being asked to die for a country that does not equip or pay them properly,” he said.

He urged President Tinubu to issue an executive order mandating a comprehensive, consequential increment in salaries and allowances across the armed forces, police, and paramilitary agencies.

He also maintained that improved pay, proper equipment, and standardised battalion structures are indispensable to addressing insecurity, noting that many battalions in the Northeast operate with fewer than 400 troops instead of the minimum 500 to 900 stipulated by international standards.

“The president has taken bold steps, but he must now walk the talk. Equip the Army, increase the remuneration, and fix the technology gap especially the satellite capability,” Ndume said.