Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
As cases of train bombing, killings, kidnapping and terrorism continue in some northern parts of Nigeria unabated, a traditional ruler in Ekiti State, Oba Adebanji Alabi, has appealed to the federal government to quickly consider the establishment of a well-trained and armed National Border Guards to curb the increasing terror attacks on Nigeria.
Oba Alabi, who is the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti in Ekiti Southwest Local Government Area of the state, also called on the federal government to ensure the closure of borders contiguous to Nigeria in the northern part of the country to ward off those stoking the ember of killings in that axis of the country.
The monarch gave the suggestions in his yesterday while commenting on recent terror attacks on Abuja-Kaduna passenger train as well as the attack on the airport in Kaduna.
Alawe, a former diplomat and the immediate-past chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, noted that some of those passengers who survived the train terror attack clearly revealed that most of those who carried out the attack were foreigners.
“In view of current upsurge in security challenges in the country, the government should take immediate action to stop what looks like orchestrated invasion by foreigners with the collaboration of unpatriotic Nigerians.
“I suggest that the government should properly equip the army and other security agencies; put in place mechanisms to expose fifth columnists within our security forces to forestall internal connivance with criminal elements in order to abate what he termed incessant dastardly attacks on Nigeria by terrorists.
According to him, “I am of the opinion that men of the Nigeria Customs Service and Immigration Services could not contain all the movements in the borders and the infiltration of unwanted foreigners to the country, hence, the need to establish an elite National Border Guard to properly monitor the porous borders and deal decisively with those trying to enter Nigeria illegally for nefarious mission.”
The traditional ruler urged the government to continually initiate programmes that would sensitise all Nigerians on the need to be security conscious.
Alabi further stressed that purchasing of military wares, equipment, installations and movement of troops should not be celebrated in the media so that the terrorists would be caught unawares, saying most issues relating to security must be covertly undertaken.
