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DEFENCE

FG Strengthens Border Control to Tackle Insecurity, others

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The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to tackle insecurity occasioned by irregular migration and increasing transnational activities across Nigeria’s international borders.

The Deputy Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Interior, Mr Afonja Ajibola, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to him, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Shuaib Belgore, disclosed this in Lagos while delivering a speech at the 3rd edition of the International Security Management Course that took place at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA).

Belgore said the ministry, through the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), has evolved new ways to improve border control, border management, border monitoring and protection.

The permanent secretary added that such innovations would help confront 21st century evolving challenges that continued to pose threat to Nigeria’s internal security.

“The importance of border security cannot be overemphasised in view of the rate and significance of trans-national crimes. Indeed, this is of global significance due to globalisation and increasing travel.

“Accordingly, there has been an increase in transnational crimes from irregular migration to trafficking in persons, smuggling of migrants, financial crimes, drug related offences anD transportation of illegal weapons, among others.”

He blamed illicit movement of arms and persons as well as using borders as escape routes by criminal elements as reasons for hightened insecurity in the country.

The permanent secretary, however, assured Nigerians that recent innovations currently undertaken would help to checkmate crimes in collaboration with Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

He attributed the lingering border induced criminalities to situation where many African states share people with the same ancestry and separated into different countries.

This development, he said, usually lead to aiding irregular migration by some elements who hide under the guise to export crimes.

Newsmen report that the highlight of the event witnessed presentation of a plaque to Belgore as a worthy Special Guest of Honour.

Newsmen also report that the course would provide participants the opportunity to scrutinise the security challenges associated with cross-border mobility in Africa and within sub-region due to the ECOWAS protocol.

The protocol conferred certain rights to all citizens of ECOWAS member states, and also analyses cultural and geographic landscape of the borders. (NAN) 

DEFENCE

Terrorism: ECOWAS to Raise $2.4bn to Fund Counter-terrorism Standby Force

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is working to set up a counter terrorism force to tackle security threats within the sub-region.

The Commissioner Political Affairs, Peace and Security of ECOWAS, Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, stated this at the opening of a three-day consultative meeting of Commandants of the three designated ECOWAS Training Centres of Excellence.

The three centres of excellence are the National Defence College, Nigeria, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Ghana, and Ecole de Maintien de la Paix Alioune Blondin Beye, Mali.

The consultative engagement is a bi-annual event coordinated by the Directorate of Peacekeeping and Regional Security of ECOWAS.

It is to support training, capacity building, research and development of the ECOWAS Standby Force, and the general peace and security within the sub-region.

Reports says that Mali which is housing one of the training centres of excellence was absent at the meeting.

This may not be unconnected with the recent move by the country alongside Niger and Burkina Faso to exit the ECOWAS community.

Musah said that terrorism was cascading across the region and there was need to have counter terrorism forces to contain its spread.

“This is the decision, and in the coming weeks,  ECOWAS has already with the Chief of Defence Staffs, developed operational modalities, the concept of operations and everything for us to aggregate.

“It will be something like an advance rapid reaction force of a battalion that will be able to confront terrorists’ bases.”

He explained that as part of the resolution of the authority of Heads of States, 2.4 billion dollars would be raised to fund the ECOWAS standby force to tackle the security challenges headlong.

“The Heads of States have decided that on the first year, we must raise about 2.4 billion dollars to support the operation of this force in order to face the terrorist.”

Musah said out of the amount, the Heads of States have directed member states contribute one billion dollars to commence the operation of the stand-by force.

He also explained that Ministers of Defence and Finance from the sub-region would be meeting to fashion out funding modalities for the force.

“This brings me to why this exercise is so critical today.

“If you look at our region, it is being ravage by terrorists. Today Burkina faso has overtaken Afghanistan as the most terrorised state on earth, and Africa has become home to terrorists organisations.

“Elsewhere in the world there are opportunistic terrorists attacks like we saw in some countries not too long ago.

“We are faced with the nightmare of having one of our member states being completely occupied by terrorist groups.

“If they set up a front base in one country then no country is safe, and we have already seen the impact of that on some of the coastal countries –  Benin, Togo, Ghana and Cote d’voir – over the past few years.”

The ECOWAS commissioner, however, said Nigeria has been able to degrade the Boko Haram terrorists.

“In Nigeria, thanks to the efforts of the Nigerian Government, Boko haram have been degraded to the extent that they do not post a sustainable threat to the peace and security of Nigeria.”

Earlier, the Commandant National Defence College, Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu while welcoming participants to the meeting, said West Africa was the only region that assigned training centres with special mandate.

He, therefore, urged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity to exchange useful ideas to enhance operations against terrorist groups in the region. (NAN)

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DEFENCE

Police Arrest 22 Suspected Armed Robbers, 36 Rapists in Katsina

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The Police Command in Katsina State, says within the month of April, it arrested about 22 suspected armed robbers, and 36 persons in connection to rape and sodomy cases in the state.

The Command’s spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, confirmed this while briefing newsmen on the command’s achievements within the month under review.

Sadiq-Aliyu said that 10 murder suspects were also arrested during the period.

He disclosed that 81 cases of major crimes, such as armed robbery, kidnapping, culpable homicides, cattle rustling among others were reported.

“Within the period, 69 cases were charged to court, as a total number of 145 suspects were arrested in connection with these suspected cases.

“A total number of 58 suspects were arrested for various offences such as criminal force, intimidation, inciting disturbance, theft, and belonging to gang of brigands, among others.

“Also, the command has succeeded in neutralising 12 suspected bandits, rescued over 30 kidnapped victims, and recovered 492 rustled animals,” Sadiq-Aliyu said.

He further revealed that on May 5, the command successfully foiled a bandit attack on two commercial motor-vehicles at Unguwar Boka village, along Funtua-Gusau road, and rescued 52 passengers.

According to him, a luxurious bus conveying passengers from Onitsha en route Gusau, Zamfara State, and a Volkswagen Golf-3 en route Zaria from Gusau, were attacked by suspected bandits, forcing the driver to veer off the road into the nearby bushes.

“Upon receipt of the report, promptly, the DPO mobilised operatives and responded to the scene, where they engaged the assailants in a fierce gun duel, successfully thwarted the kidnapping attempt, and rescued all the passengers unhurt. 

“Efforts have been intensified to ensure the arrest of the fleeing suspects. The investigation is still ongoing,” the police spokesman said. (NAN)

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DEFENCE

NDA Conducts Range Classification, Urges Residents to Stay Away

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The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), says it will  conduct Range Classification Exercise for Cadets of 72  Regular Course , advising residents to avoid trespassing.

The academy’s Public Relations Officer, Maj. Mohammed Maidawa, made the announcement in a statement in Kaduna on Tuesday.

Maidawa said:  “NDA wishes to inform the general public, especially inhabitants of Mando,Tsamiya, Kauya and Afaka general area that it will be conducting a Range Classification Exercise for cadets of 72 Regular Course .

He said the exercise has been scheduled to be held from Wednesday  to Thursday at NDA Open Range Afaka.

He said, “The NDA assures the general public that all necessary safety measures have been put in place for successful conduct of the exercise.

“However, the general public is advised to avoid trespassing in the general area throughout the period of the exercise.”(NAN)

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