Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has highlighted the need for advanced technology in combating insecurity in Nigeria, claiming that his phone’s installations detected over 277 guns around the Senate chamber. He made this assertion on the Senate floor on Wednesday while discussing a motion by Senator Ali Ndume concerning recent bombings in the North-East state of Borno.
“I don’t want to take much of your time but I will say clearly it costs nothing for the intelligent army to get devices in their phone to know where these notorious criminals live,” said Ibrahim, who represents Ondo South. “As I am here, I check my phone regularly and I know the number of guns that are very close to me here. This is just less than one thousand installations. Within us now, there are over 277 guns around here just because an armoury is close to this place.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio responded by asking, “Of the 277 guns around you here, do you know how many of them have bullets inside?” Ibrahim reassured that the senators were safe due to the nearby armoury.
Advocating for technological solutions over traditional military strategies, Ibrahim emphasized, “We can use technology, just like distinguished Senator Ndume had said, to deploy technology rather than using soldiers. The military should stop using unconventional strategies to fight insurgency in Nigeria. We need to use conventional strategy to fight unconventional war. Boko Haram is an unconventional war.”
Citing the bombings in Gwoza, Borno State as a tragic and embarrassing incident, Ibrahim called for a dedicated day to discuss security matters. “This Senate under your leadership, sir, must have a closed-door meeting for one day and then use that whole day to discuss security matters. Our lives are very important,” he urged.
