Buhari admits ‘some of Nigeria’s security challenges are imported’

President Muhammadu Buhari, Friday, admitted that his government has now recognised that some of the security challenges confronting the country were imported by foreign elements.

President Buhari’s affirmation corroborates with that earlier advanced by stakeholders in the country who have claimed the existence of foreign elements in the country worsening insecurity situation.

It would be recalled that a former chieftain of the ruling of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abubakar Kawu Baraje, had last Wednesday, traced the origin of the current insecurity in the country to the influx of Fulani from neighboring countries like Sierra Leone, Mali, Senegal, Niger and Chad brought into the country for election purposes in 2015.

Baraje who reportedly disclosed this in Ilorin, Kwara State, as part of activities to mark his 70th birthday anniversary, posited that the Fulani men causing havoc in the country are not aboriginal to Nigeria.

“We are not asking the right question on how the same Fulani we have been living with suddenly turned out a menace.

“We also must ask how they had access to their guns. The security agencies have not been open about the nature of the problem.

“They have made arrests. Why haven’t they told the public who the terrorists are. The Fulani causing security problems in the country were brought in to help facilitate victory in the 2015 election.

However, in what was intended to be a disclaimer, Baraje, who is now a chieftain of the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), denied making the said comments, as he insisted during an interview on Wednesday, August 3, on Arise TV, that what he said at the time was that in the build-up to the 2015 general elections, the APC ‘prepared all manners of scandals to ensure that if it didn’t win, then Nigeria does not stay.’

Buhari who did not disclose the identities of the ‘foreign elements,’ further said that the nation and indeed the African region had been facing difficult times such as terrorism in the North East, banditry and other criminal activities across the country.

Buhari who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, stated this at the Graduation of Course 30 of the National Defence College (NDC), Friday in Abuja,

He added that the military and other security agencies have been given directives to decisively deal with all forms of security challenges and secure the nation.

According to him, the military has continued to counter the terrorism that was very prevalent in the North East which has resulted in the surrendering of thousands of persons who are being managed by government agencies.

“Government is also deeply concerned about the activities of bandits and criminals who have rare their ugly heads in some parts of the country.

“This is because the number of violent unprovoked attacks on citizens appear to be on the increase. This is unacceptable.

“Accordingly, we have given strong directive to the military and other security agencies to deal decisively with terrorists, bandits and other enemies of the country.

“We have also adopted bilateral and multilateral arrangements to tackle the trans-border and maritime crimes because we recognize that some of our security challenges are imported into Nigeria by foreign elements.

“I want to assure all Nigerian that the government is doing all it can to eliminate or apprehend the criminals or bandits, wherever they are,” he said.

Buhari commended the nation’s apex defence institution for its continuous effort towards raising a discipline and professional strategic leaders for the armed forces, security agencies as well as Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The Commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. Murtala Bashir, said the college had 102 participants drawn from the military, paramilitary, security and intelligence agencies as well as selected MDAs and participants from 16 allied countries.

Bashir said the participants comprised; 28 from Nigerian Army; 20 from Nigerian Navy; five from Nigerian Air Force; 29 from strategic institutions/MDAs and 20 international participants.

He said the college had trained the finest from the military, security agencies and MDAs both from within and outside the country since inception in 1992, adding that some had distinguished themselves in their careers.