February 14, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
A senior lawmaker from Borno State has escalated calls for robust foreign military action against Islamist insurgents in Nigeria’s northeast, urging that deployed U.S. forces be sent to his own local government area and that fresh airstrikes be carried out to dislodge militants who have held territory and displaced communities for years.
Senator Ali Ndume, representing Borno South Senatorial District, made the impassioned appeal during a recent appearance on a national television programme, arguing that the persistent Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgency has rendered many areas near the Mandara Mountains unsafe for ordinary Nigerians to live, work, or return home.
“We have been calling that there must be consistent and sustained attack until they are all eliminated,” the senator said, describing the insurgents’ continued presence in his constituency as a major barrier to peace and development. “If the 200 Americans that Nigerians are talking about now don’t have they are not comfortable, please let them go to my local government and stay and operate from there, our people will be happy.”
The call references recent developments in U.S.–Nigeria security cooperation, where Washington has agreed to deploy approximately 200 U.S. troops to support Nigeria’s military in training and advisory roles as it battles extremist groups a move confirmed by U.S. and Nigerian officials but emphasised as non-combat support.
Ndume’s comments go beyond training assistance, however, with the senator also seeking renewed U.S. airstrikes against militants entrenched in forested and mountainous terrain that have long sheltered insurgent fighters and complicated counter-insurgency efforts. He pressed that such measures are necessary for residents still displaced after years of violence, noting that he himself cannot safely visit his former home without risk, even with escorts.
Critics of increased foreign military action warn that sovereignty and civilian safety concerns must be balanced carefully against hard security operations. Supporters of expanded cooperation, like Ndume, argue that current measures have been insufficient to fully dismantle insurgent networks after more than a decade of conflict.
The broader debate comes as Nigeria’s security environment in the northeast continues to face challenges from Boko Haram and ISWAP factions, which regularly stage attacks on civilians and military targets, contributing to displacement, instability, and humanitarian strain across Borno and neighbouring states.
Negotiations between Abuja and international partners over the scale and nature of military cooperation remain ongoing, even as local voices like Senator Ndume’s press for more aggressive action on the ground.