White men are mercenaries fighting for Boko Haram, Rep Member raises alarm

A member of the House of Representatives, Zainab Gimba (APC, Borno), has raised serious concerns over the growing involvement of foreign mercenaries, including white men, in Boko Haram attacks, calling for urgent action and improved military coordination to tackle the insurgency.

Speaking on the floor of the House, Gimba disclosed that Boko Haram fighters recently launched a deadly ambush on a base belonging to the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in her constituency, resulting in the death of more than 20 soldiers.

“In my constituency, 20 soldiers were killed in a Boko Haram ambush on a multinational force base,” she said. “The commander told me that among the insurgents were several white men; there is foreign influence here.”

She expressed alarm over the deepening threats posed by foreign fighters and the apparent infiltration of global mercenaries into Nigeria’s security crisis. “It will interest you to know that I visited that formation, and the commander told me that out of about 100 soldiers in that formation, we have only six Nigerian soldiers,” she added. “And it is a multinational joint task force where we expect to have, if not equal, at least a substantial number of Nigerian military men.”

Gimba further condemned the positioning of military barracks and formations inside populated city centres, describing it as a dangerous move that puts civilians at risk. Referring to the recent fire outbreak at Giwa Barracks in Maiduguri, she noted that the incident triggered mass panic, despite there being no Boko Haram attack on that day.

“Before the public knew what was happening, panic had already spread. These formations should be outside city centres. Our lives should not be politicised,” she said.

The lawmaker also warned that the recent withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has weakened regional cooperation and poses a serious security threat along Nigeria’s borders.

“If there is no synergy, this insurgency will pose several threats to the country, not only to the state,” Gimba cautioned.

She emphasized the need for a stronger and more coordinated security strategy to prevent further loss of life and safeguard Nigeria’s territorial integrity.