Retired military veteran Col. Nasiru Salami has raised concerns over the quality of weapons used by Nigerian security agents in combating the newly formed terror group Lakurawa which has been wreaking havoc in the North-West region.

In an interview on Wednesday on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief to mark the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Salami highlighted the alarming disparity between the weapons available to security agents and those wielded by the insurgents.

Somebody called me from Maiduguri yesterday and said this Lakurawa, they have divided themselves into two, attacking from different sides,” he said.

Salami revealed that security agents are equipped with outdated rifles, such as the GT3, which are limited in range and effectiveness. “Now, our men are using useless rifles that cannot go beyond a quarter of a mile but these people when they shoot from a far distance, they will aim and get the target,” he stated.

The 76-year-old called on the Federal Government to provide the necessary support by arming security forces with advanced assault rifles capable of matching or surpassing those of the insurgents.

Salami stressed that better equipment and proper motivation could significantly reduce the number of casualties among Nigerian forces.

He also recounted his own military journey, starting from his enlistment in the Nigerian Army in October 1967 to being deployed to the battlefield during the Biafra War after just six weeks of training. Salami served for 11 months on the frontlines, where he suffered severe injuries, including the amputation of his right foot. Despite the loss, Salami returned to the battlefield to continue serving his country.