By Deborah Nnamdi
The Federal Government on Sunday maintained that many of the terrorists responsible for killings across Nigeria are foreign nationals who infiltrated the country through its porous borders.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, made the assertion while addressing participants at the First Plenary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria held at St. Gabriel’s Chaplaincy, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, Abuja.
Akume acknowledged that insecurity remains a major challenge in the country but stressed that the problem is not peculiar to Nigeria. According to him, insecurity is a global issue affecting even advanced nations.
Describing the wave of killings as tragic, he noted that the violence predates the current administration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Citing security reports, the SGF said many suspects arrested in connection with recent attacks were not Nigerians. He claimed that several of those apprehended could not speak English and spoke poor Hausa but were fluent in French, suggesting foreign origins.
While clarifying that extremist groups such as Boko Haram originated within Nigeria, Akume maintained that a significant number of attackers currently operating in forests and rural communities, particularly in parts of Niger State and other affected areas, are from outside the country.
He stated that his comments were based on intelligence and security briefings available to the government.
Nigeria was recently designated a Country of Particular Concern by the United States over issues relating to security and religious freedom, a development Akume said had strengthened international collaboration, especially between Nigeria and the US.
Referencing recent drone strikes in Sokoto State, he insisted that the government was not passive in addressing security threats, adding that the United States was cooperating with Nigeria in tackling insecurity.
Akume also disclosed that President Tinubu’s recent visit to Turkey was partly aimed at procuring additional military hardware, including drones and other advanced armaments, to reinforce the country’s security architecture.
On the contentious issue of reintegrating former insurgents, the SGF clarified that attempts to reintegrate members of Boko Haram were initiated under the previous administration but did not make significant progress and were eventually halted. He noted that proposals to absorb former fighters into the military were resisted and not implemented.
He urged stakeholders, including religious leaders, to approach the issue of insecurity with objectivity and a comprehensive understanding of its complexities, expressing hope that sensitive measures would not be reintroduced without careful consideration.
