Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has given a curious assessment of the Nigerian Army.
Although he thanked them in their fight against insurgency, he said they were retrogressing in terms of capacity.
According to him, the country had a better army 40 years ago than it has now.
Speaking on a TV programme on Wednesday, he noted: “The Nigerian Army of last 30 years, of last 40 years is better than the Nigerian Army of now a days. It is sad, it is very sad. We supposed to have gone far in terms of development but if you look at it, the equipment we have in the last 40 years are still in existence.
“Yes, Mr President has procured some equipment, the equipment are coming but when will they arrive. That is a serious thing that they should look into because we need to address this issue immediately otherwise the issue will consume the greater part of the nation.”
According to him, “The Nigerian Army should not relax by our statement that there is peace in Borno State, that there is gradual return of peace in the North-East. Yes, what we are saying is true but that does not mean the problem is over; they have to work hard to ensure that the remnants of the insurgents are cleared in the Lake Chad, are cleared in the Sambisa Game Reserve.”
Zulum also stressed the need for the Nigerian Army to engage mercenaries and leverage on external collaboration with neighboruing countries like Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon, amongst others, to win the insurgency war which has claimed thousands of lives in the last 11 years.”
