‘Nigeria needs 100,000 more soldiers to defeat Boko Haram’, governor says

The governor of Nigeria’s Borno state has said the country needs an additional 100,000 soldiers to neutralise the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. 

Governor Babgana Zulum issued the plea to Defence Committee Chairman Babajimi Benson in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. He asked the chairman to advise the speaker of the house to discuss the mass recruitment of soldiers with the president. 

The north-eastern state of Borno is one of the regions worst affected by Boko Haram’s insurgency. The governor has said that half of the additional soldiers should come from his state. 

Mr Zulum has also declared 24th February a day of fasting and prayer for the “restoration of peace” in the state. 

Last week, Borno residents booed President Muhammadu Buhari as he visited the region to pay condolences to the families of 30 people who were burnt to death in their cars by militants. 

The president has in turn blamed Borno’s leaders for failing to cooperate with the military in combatting the attacks. 

Photo: AFP