From ISMAIL OMIPIDAN (with Bureau reports)
For those familiar with the country’s various border towns in the north, it is common to find Nigerien herdsmen on camels, sometimes in their hundreds, moving into Nigeria. Ordinarily, one would assume they are hapless herdsmen trying to locate a greener pasture. But investigations have revealed that most of the arms and ammunitions used by the late leader of Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, and his group were brought into the countryby them through the Niger border especially in Maiduguri.
In fact, further investigations revealed that the group had links with another group in Algeria that sends the arms and ammunitions through Niger. The source further said: They load these weapons on top of camels in the name of grazing and enter Nigeria. Our Customs and Immigration officers must take note of this. Anytime you see those Nigeriens crossing our border to Nigeria with animals, check them very well.
They were the ones (Buzu) that came to Nigeria when Ja’afar (late Kano-based Islamic scholar murdered in the wake of 2007 elections) was killed. “If you remember, they say they (Buzu) normally disappear when they are shot and that bullets do not penetrate them. They came fully prepared for the Boko Haram war and that was why they also made local pistols and bombs. Their plan was to plant the bombs in strategic places, so that you just hear explosions without knowing where they were coming from.”
The source further disclosed that most of the soldiers from Algeria, Somalia, Niger and Mauritania including a few that fought on the side of the late Al-Queda leader, Osama Bin Laden, and later, on the side of late Yusuf, came in with their arms and ammunition. How arms get to Borno Our correspondent, TIMOTHY OLA, reports that geographically, the location of Borno state in the north-east fringe of Nigeria, around the Chad Basin makes it an easy route for smuggling of arms especially light weapons and ammunition, into the country.
The state which has an area of about 61, 435 square per kilometers of landmass, the third largest in the country, shares border with three African nations namely, Republic of Niger to the north, Chad Republic to the north-east and Cameroon to the east. Borno is also a gateway to the war-torn North African nation of Libya Unfortunately, these landmass and border areas are so porous such that movement of any good; legal or illegal, can hardly be properly checked.
With persistent rebel activities in these neighbouring nations particularly in Chad and Niger, security sources believe a lot of arms and ammunition might have found their way into the Nigerian soil through the Borno borders. “Some of the arms being used by the Boko Haram men may have been sourced from these rebels who may have willingly joined the Islamic fighters or exchanged their guns for money to sustain themselves and oil the machinery of rebel operation in their various countries,” a military officer once hinted. It is also believed that some of the arms and ammunition used by hundreds of the slain Libya strongman, Muammar al-Gaddaffi may have similarly been brought into the country.
With a climate that is usually hot and dry for most part of the year except from late June till early September, the Sahel vegetation and desert nature of the entire landmass particularly in northern and central zones of the state undoubtedly encourages movement including shipment of arms into the country even in the night. Commenting on the porous border recently in an interaction with journalists in Maiduguri, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi urged the Federal Government to do something urgently. “Borno is bordered by three African countries of Niger, Chad and Cameroon and all these borders are very porous.
I appeal to the Federal Government to do something urgently about it because the situation presently portends greater danger to security of this nation,” Shehu said. Sunday Sun learnt it was this vulnerable condition of the border areas to criminal activities that informed the resolve of the former Comptroller of Customs in charge of Borno/Yobe Area Command, Alhaji Abdullahi Ahmadu Adamu to checkmate illegal importation of banned goods including arms into the country through the Borno end.
However, such bold step by Comptroller Adamu, according to some personnel of the Customs Service in Maiduguri, cost the Potiskum-born customs officer his life as unknown gunmen mowed him down few hours after he returned to his home town from a week official engagement outside the state. Sources also said the thriving merchandise in Borno equally provide veritable means for concealing arms and ammunition brought into the country. “Arms and ammunition can also be concealed in a truck carrying grains, beans or fish from Bama, Gamboru-Ngala, Banki, Malam fatori or any of the communities around the borders without anybody suspecting anything.
So it is a huge problem,” another top security source noted, adding “a comprehensive review of surveillance will be required in the area.” True to the above claim, a woman was caught at Dabar-Mansara, Kukawa Local Government of the state with rifles concealed in a sack of grains. She was arrested in April 2011 by combined team of Immigration officials and other security agencies. Weeks later, two men were arrested by the SSS in separate places in Maiduguri with guns carefully hidden under the back seat of a Mercedes Benz car and cartons of fish. While the driver of the Mercedes Benz was allegedly aiming to offload his weapon of destruction in Plateau State, then in turmoil, the other one was transporting some rifles en route Adamawa State with the guns carefully concealed in cartoons of fishes.
Despite measures put in place by security agencies, it is believed that arms and ammunition still find their way illegally into the country especially from Borno end. Just this week, the Joint Task Force (JTF) said it recovered six AK 47 Rifles, two G3 Rifles, three Pistols, one Rocket Propelled Grenade Bomb (RPG), 20 RPG chargers, two Double Barrel Rifles, one RPG tube, 33 assorted empty magazines, 2,543 assorted ammunition during “a fierce battle” with suspected Boko Haram men.
In Katsina State, the ugly development was said to have worsened with alleged influx of fleeing armed militants from Libya and Mali into the state. Although the Customs and Excise Command and other security agencies in the state readily deny the trend, arms traffickers were said to be active in virtually all the illegal routes. Our correspondent, Andy Asemota reports that although the state command of the Nigerian Customs Service and other security agencies play down the influx of arms through the state, experienced gunrunners exploit the numerous illegal routes.
This is because the state has one of the largest borders in the country with Niger Republic that also shares a common border with Mali. Even the most charitable defender of the security agencies cannot deny that some migrant cattle herdsmen enter the country with assorted rifles and ammunition as well as other dangerous weapons. Years ago, the police announced that they recovered AK 47 rifles and other weapons from foreign herdsmen in the state. However, the Customs command voted the best in the country in the past one year, and known for monitoring and scanning every vehicle and luggage entering through Jibya international border, assured effective monitoring of the numerous illegal routes.
“No parcel falls short of the size needed to be checked by our men on any route,” said a Customs official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. ACF reacts From Kaduna state, Noah Ebije, reports the Northern socio-cultural organization, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) as blaming the influx of illegal arms and ammunition into Nigeria on porous borders of the country. Speaking to Sunday Sun, the National Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Anthony Sani said with the Arab springs and the raging crisis in Mali, more arms are likely to find their way into the country through the leaky borders. “Nigeria’s borders are porous; so illegal immigrants use the borders to flood our country with arms.
When the Niger Delta militants surrendered their arms, the volume of arms that were collected from them was frightening. Now it is the turn of Boko Haram through porous borders. “More so, as a result of Libyan crisis, many illegal immigrants found their way to the country with arms through porous borders. The Mali crisis too has scattered these people and they are finding their way to Nigeria. Unless our security is seriously tightened to check the influx of these illegal immigrants and movement of arms and ammunitions into our country, we will still have problem.
We don’t want a situation whereby things will get out of hand. But in every problem, there must be a solution. Therefore, we urge the government to confront the security challenges in the country for peace and development. “Tell me which aspect of Nigeria that is doing fine. Is it the education, health or the energy sector that is doing fine? I submit that almost all aspect of Nigeria’s way of life have collapsed because of insecurity. There is injustice in the land and you cannot separate insecurity from injustice. So all these challenges we are talking about are due to injustice”, Sani said.
Nigeria is a fail country and did not care for their citizen outside Nigeria……. All Nigeria Embassies and their Ambassadors in Asian Countries and some part of European Countries are not doing their Jobs….,,,,,, THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS AND AM WRITING THIS TO MY FELLOW NIGERIANS BACK IN NIGERIA WITH TEARS TO LET THE NIGERIA GOVERNMENT KNOW THAT ALL NIGERIANS IN INDIA ARE PLANNING TO DESTROY NIGERIA EMBASSY IN NEW DELHI INDIA…….. I also want to use this opportunity to inform my fellow Nigerians that Indian Police and their fellow Citizens are Killing Nigerians and dumping them in Train Station almost every month……. Two Days back, A Nigeria was killed by India police and dumped in Train Station in Mumbai City India and Nigeria Embassy in New Delhi India is doing nothing about that….. Police always visit Nigerians in their house harassing them and making away with the valued properties and cash with a note that they will kill them if they talk and Nigeria Government will not do anything or come for their Help……………In 2008 during the Terrorist Attack in Three 7 Star Hotels and Railway Station in Mumbai city India…..It was flash on TV as a Breaking News that Nigerian Drug Dealer are shooting guns in Mumbai and after they noticed that it was a terrorist attack by Pakistan Terrorist and Nigeria Government and our Embassy did not do anything about it……. Two weeks ago a group of Police went to all Nigerians houses living in Kalina, Mumbai City India and carry more then 28 people to Police Station and after release them with the help of other Nigerians as we stationed ourselves in police station and the police people make it clearly that they did not found anything in those Nigeria guys houses….. But it was a surprise to read on News Paper the following day that 38 Nigerians was arrested with drug and charge to court and we reported the matter to our Embassy, but they did not do anything about the allegation and bad name leveled against Nigeria and her Citizens in India…………………. Two days ago, A Group of police man told 5 Nigerians that they did not want to see Nigerians or Black people in India again and their citizen and police will continue to kill Nigerians here in India until we leave their country and Nigeria Government will not do anything to them……. … India People have refused to give Nigerians a house to live because their police warn them not to give house to Nigerians and they always send our people packing out of their house within 24 hours without thinking of where the person would take his property to or spend a night because they don’t give our people time or days to get another place to live or take their property to…………………………… Meanwhile, Thousand of Indians are living in Nigeria Comfortably and Nigeria people and some Landlord are serving and respecting them and renting a good house out to them…… but here they refuse to give Nigerians a house, shop or even allow them to have freedom to walk around here in India and do their businesses……India Police have close all Nigeria Restaurant and Shops In Mumbai City and asking them to leave India and go back to Nigeria………… India Citizens always beat Nigerians on the road calling them all kind of names and whenever Nigeria report the matter to police, The police will tell the Nigeria person that those guys are Indians and they have right to beat Nigerians and they can’t do anything to their citizen because of a Nigeria man……………….. Therefore, i use this opportunity to call on my fellow Nigeria back Home to know what Indians are doing to their fellow Nigerians in India and also advise you guys to know how to handle Indians in Nigeria and pay them back because without teaching the India citizen in Nigeria a lesson…. The police and their citizens here in India will continue killing Nigerians here in India without fear knowing that Nigeria Government will not do anything to them……… 90% of Nigerians here has a valid visa, but police did not care neither their fellow citizens and they refuse to rent us a house and always asking us to go back to Nigeria or face death………………… INDIANS ARE WICKED AND HEARTLESS AND THEY HATE NIGERIANS AND THEY KILLED NIGERIANS EVERY MONTH OR WEEKS HERE AND OUR EMBASSY AND GOVERNMENT IS NOT DOING ANYTHING REGARDS TO THAT AND THAT IS THE REASON AM CALLING ON MY FELLOW NIGERIA TO KNOW HOW TO HANDLE INDIANS IN NIGERIA AND PAY THEM BACK WHAT THEY DESERVE AS WICKED AND HATED PEOPLE.
well, no problem
The only solution is to break.bcos our country is too corupt
These are vital information. But would the federal government hesitate on it?
The bottom line of all is that The Nigeria Government is eating fat while the servants feed on bones. When so called government officials earning millions of naira monthly but very difficult for the same government to pay minimum wages of N20,000. What of Pensioners? How do these retired civil servants feed? As it is said, “MAN MUST WAK” so all these are contribution to the nation predicaments and federal government is so careless about this ugly trends in the country. Well, GOD help your people.
Why should herdsmen from Niger cross our boarders to feed their cattle in Nigeria. Is it because our FG.is too busy indulging in corruption and have no time to do the job we all voted them in to office to do. All these terrible things happening in Nigeria today can’t go on forever something has to give way to secure a better future for Nigerians.
If Indians are treating Us bad, It’s probably their own payback time, We did the same to them when they wanted to occupy our economy too, However before going to Indian you should know what to expect. Some Nigerians abroad should try and lead an honest life too, They bring bad names to the genuine Nigerians, most of the time i don’t blame this countries because our people do shocking illegal things just to survive.
“Years ago, the police announced that they recovered AK 47 rifles and other weapons from foreign herdsmen in the state”. THAT IS KATSINA STATE. MY QUESTIONS ARE (1) ARE FOREIGNERS ALLOWED BY LAW TO COME IN AT WILL TO GRAZE THEIR CATTLE IN NIGERIAN TERRITORY? (2) IS THE GRAZING RESERVE ROUTE OUR NOMADIC FULANIS ARE ASKING FOR SUPPOSED TO SERVE THOSE FOREIGNERS ALSO? (3) WHAT DOES NIGERIA BENEFIT FROM ALLOWING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO COME IN TO GRAZE THEIR CATTLE PLUS THE ATTENDANT INSECURITY? (4) IS THIS THE POLITICAL POPULATION THE NORTH WANTS US BELIEVE THEY HAVE? NIGERIA WILL NEVER TAKE OFF AS A COUNTRY IN THE ABSENCE OF A VERIFIABLE POPULATION CENSUS AND A SCAM FREE IDENTITY CARD SYSTEM FOR NIGERIANS. HOW CAN THERE BE DEVELOPMENT WHEN GOVERNMENT USES SCARCE RESOURCES TO PROVIDE AMENITIES THAT WILL BE OVERWHELMED BY THE ADDITION OF TENS OF MILLIONS OF A NOMAD PEOPLE THAT TROOP INTO THE COUNTRY WITHOUT ANY RECORDS. MANY OF THOSE CHANGING MONEY AS WELL AS ‘MAI GUARDS’ IN LAGOS AND OTHER NIGERIAN CITIES ARE SAID TO BE NIGERIENS AND CHADIANS. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE AND KNOW THE SECURITY STRENGHT AND WEAKNESS OF NIGERIA. MANY IN THE NIGERIAN ARMY, POLICE SSS, IMMIGRATION, CUSTOMS, ETC COULD, AS WELL ,BE FOREIGNERS. RESOURCE CONTROL BY STATES WILL HELP WAKE GOVERNORS AND LOCAL POLITICIANS UP TO THE DANGERS THE PRESENCE OF DESERT NEIGHBOURS POSE TO STATES AND NATION..
My brother Major Okar was killed for trying to keep such states like Borno, Yobe Katsina out of Nigeria. Truly speaking if you go to the aforementioned states, you will find out must of them are foreigners in the seats of Government as long as they embraced Islam.
Our fellow Northern brothers and sisters please see reason with us and see Nigeria as a nation rather than religiou bigotries to Islam.
@ chika if all you say is truth,the think about relocating back to Nigeria,am sorry to say this but Indians have enough population that they dont know how to manage with their little resources so they see Nigerians as a threat to these merger resources.
nigeria is not a country, but a monster taking care of it’s cubs. they all are niggas-in-the-area priod.
it is true wat bb obj is saying gej is de prolm of insecurty in 9ja how miggrant sumgle to 9ja wtout d immgrt an costm not aware an our polc thre own is mney mr prsdnt try to adrs dis isues wt inmidate effect b4 is too late u ar too slow dat ur prlm
Arms smuggling in the north is serious business sponsored by the powerful northern oligarchs who are the first class citizens of this country and are therefore untouchable. Can’t we see how the country’s currency is illegally traded in the open with impunity, and govt. looks the other way? Reason: the currency traders are first class citizens. But Nigerian govt. has all the power to confront importers of tokunbo materials that have no security risks because of the section of the country the traders come from. Different laws for different sections of the country. Nigeria we ‘hell’ thee!
Sure enough arms smuggling is a cause for concern but this article makes nonsense of that by pretending it is a “northern issue” which is definitely not correct. Come to think of it who are the weapons smugglers given the high costs of procuring and then smuggling weapons -it is the same people that make every Nigerian uncomfortable amd sponsors ghost and real writres to instigate hate and violence against one another. Chexk the background of your sources again, you would see the truth if you dare.
What Nigeria needs is dismemberment. Let the country be divided for goodness’ sake. My brother in India,what type of busines are u doin there? Are u sure u are law abiding? For u are addresd the way u are dressd.
jan, i totally disagree wit u.am frm d north as well, in d north once u are a muslem u are deir own not minding where u come frm.most of d okada riders once u see dem u knw dat dis people are strangers. Hw i wish my broda major okar succeded in his coup.
Sani has said it all. Injustice, will always lead to insecurity. if there can be justice in our nation, which is difficult to achieve but not impossible, the security in our nation will improve.
Govt. Must by all means end the activities of CULT AND OCCULT groups, they are the main breeding grounds for injustice and gun running.