Connect with us
Advertisement

Nigeria News

Revealed: How Terrorists Now Ferry Deadly Weapons Through Northern Borders

Published

on

File Photo: An existing photo of armed men on camel
Advertisement

The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF has alleged that terrorists now transport deadly weapons through northern borders by camels.

The Pan-Northern socio-political group claimed that deadly weapons such as Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and Anti-aircraft Guns are now brought into Nigeria through the northern region using unsuspecting animal transportation.

Naija News understands that the alarm was raised in a statement made available to newsmen by the National Chairman of the ACF, Chief Audu Ogbeh.

The signed statement alleged that the weapons were being ferried into the country from a neighbouring country.

Advertisement

The statement titled ‘Our borders and insecurity,’ and delivered by the National Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Emmanuel Yawe, in Kaduna on Thursday, December 31 noted that the northern group found it duty-bound to alert the Federal Government for urgent and necessary actions.

Naija News understands that the group did not mention any country in particular in the statement, but stated that the information was provided by ACF members from Sokoto and Zamfara States.

Sokoto and Zamfara State obviously shared borders with the Republic of Niger, this online news platform understands.

Advertisement

A part of the statement reads: “Already, it is speculated that weapons as dangerous as Rocket Propelled Grenades RPGs, and anti-aircraft guns are part of the cargo ferried by camels freely into our country from neighbouring countries,”

The ACF chairman observed that the camels bringing in the consignments (weapons) are not being checked by security operatives. Adding that it would do the nation a lot of good if the federal government should handle the situation promptly.

Ogbeh alleged further that ransom money being paid to kidnappers were being used for illegal arms purchase.

Advertisement
Advertisement

He said: “At the last meeting of our National Executive Council, NEC, in October 2020, our members, particularly from Sokoto and Zamfara, reported that large consignments of Camels were crossing our borders into Nigeria with a lot of baggage on their backs on a daily basis.

“And they observed that nobody checks their baggage and nobody knows what is being brought into Nigeria.

“The question Arewa Consultative Forum would like to ask the security agencies is what are the camels carrying and where they are heading?

“The ACF is alarmed that this kind of situation should persist at a time when weapons of all kinds are coming into our country and worsening the climate of terror and national uncertainty.”

He added, “It is clear now from what we know that, as victims pay ransoms to the kidnappers the money is instantly converted to more sophisticated weapons and instruments of death by the kidnappers.

“The capacity of these terrorists is rising by the day and we are not far from the moment when the terrorist will become better armed than our accredited security agencies.

“The ACF wants to alert the government about this situation, if they are not aware of it and if they are aware of it, to ask what they are doing about it.

“Already, it is speculated that weapons as dangerous as Rocket Propelled Grenades RPGs, and anti-aircraft guns are part of the cargo ferried by camels freely into our country from neighbouring countries.

“It will do the nation a great deal of good to deal with this situation immediately. The ACF is deeply worried”.

Meanwhile, no fewer than twenty-two people reportedly died from a deadly terrorist attack targetted at Aden airport in the southern Yemeni city.

Naija News learnt that no fewer than fifty people survived the attack with severe injuries. Reports emerging from the Yemen city revealed that there was at least one explosion shortly after a plane conveying the city’s newly formed government arrived from neighbouring Saudi Arabia.