The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume, said four soldiers were wounded when the Boko Haram insurgents attacked Monguno and other communities last Friday.
Ndume who addressed journalists in Abuja on Sunday, however, said all the terrorists were killed by a joint task force comprising soldiers, police and some civilian volunteers.
He said, “A joint task force comprising the soldiers, police and the civilian JTF on Friday killed all the insurgents that came to attack Monguno and other adjoining communities.
“I commend the military and other security agencies that contributed to the success of the operation.
“Unfortunately during the attack, about four soldiers sustained injuries while pursuing the insurgents.
“We encourage them to do more in order to bring the issue of insurgency under control.”
The senator said the country was spending a lot of money on the Armed Forces, but lamented that enough funds were not being given for the procurement of modern equipment to fight the war.
“I have been crying out that the budget every year for the Procurement of arms and ammunition is too small.
“When you spend N500bn on the Army but spend less than N30bn goes to procurement of arms and ammunition. It is just as if you are paying labourers without giving them the necessary tools to work with.
“As for the $1bn taken from the excess crude account, the House of Representatives is already probing it but the truth of the matter is that we have not seen the reception or the deployment of the new equipment.”
Copyright PUNCH.
