A former commander of the Multi-national Joint Task Force, Brig-Gen Jon Temlong (rtd), has called for more investment in security by the Nigerian government, saying the terrorists are also investing heavily on equipment.
MNJTF comprises forces, mostly military, from Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
Temlong said this while reacting to the spate of attacks by terrorists across the country on Channels Television’s programme, Sunrise Daily.
He expressed disappointment that Nigerians complained of too much money being budgeted for security, saying the terrorists were investing so much in weapons.
While citing the example of the U.S killing of Al Qaeda chief, Ayman al-Zawahiri, he said Nigeria must invest more in the procurement of weapons.
He also said the country needed to invest in technology, saying the government could monitor terrorists’ movement and act accordingly with the use of drones.
He said, “In the last quarter of 2021, about N61 billion worth of motorcycles were imported into Nigeria. Who are those using those bikes?
“If we track some of these things, we should know that there is a higher demand for motorcycles and Nigerians are crying that they don’t have money.
“These are some of the security indicators for us to know that these people are not relenting, they are buying more weapons.
“Why are they asking for so much money as ransom? They are using that money to buy weapons. So, if we want to survive as a nation, we have to close our eyes and use more money to buy weapons.”
He urged Nigerians to get involved in securing the country.
The retired military officer expressed optimism that the security outfits across the country would escalate attacks on terrorists, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s latest directive. (Daily Trust)
