Nigeria’s Bleeding Borders -By Kene Obiezu

Each nation price its salt is unfailing outlined by  an uncompromising means to obviously mark its boundaries, safe its borders and hold at bay those that would come into the nation illegally particularly for nefarious functions.

 In these perilous occasions of terrorism, even with migration turning into a burning points, international locations that take   points bordering on their safety most significantly hold an unblinking eye on their borders. They do all the pieces inside the bounds of prospects to make sure that solely these they enable can come into their nation. And nearly each time, these they enable are those that have been totally vetted.

 Legal carelessness

Since 2009 when terrorism significantly turned a difficulty in Nigeria, it has been widespread to listen to those that analyze Nigeria`s nightmare say that a lot of those that sweep by rural areas chopping communities asunder usually are not Nigerians. That is at all times acknowledged to recommend that overseas fighters, criminals, mercenaries or no matter else they could be referred to as have in some way discovered their means into Nigeria and are actively concerned in finishing up terrorist actions in opposition to Nigerians.

However discerning Nigerians have at all times argued that whether or not these tormenting Nigerians are Nigerians or overseas criminals imported from elsewhere, it’s not like they disappear from the place they’re and seem right here. If in Igbo folklore, it’s the rat at dwelling that tells the rat within the bush the place the fish at house is stored, then it is sensible that those that come from elsewhere to terrorize Nigerians work with those that have made terrorism their work from home.

137 too many

   The  Chief of Defence Workers  Normal  Fortunate Irabor  was not too long ago at  the Nigerian Institute of Worldwide Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos the place he delivered a lecture  on ‘ safety, defence and improvement in Nigeria.

 Whereas making the startling revelation that  of the 261 borders within the north-east and north-west areas of the nation, about 137 have been  unguarded, Normal Irabor disclosed that  the porous borders have been  accounted for the straightforward entry of terrorists from neighbouring international locations into Nigeria.

 Significantly, the Chief of Defence Workers talked about Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina States that neighbour   international locations corresponding to Niger Republic and Chad  as a major supply of the criminals who proceed to infiltrate these states to trigger havoc.

 Nigeria  is alleged to  have about 364 authorized  with 261 of them situated within the north-east and north-west areas of the nation.

With solely 124 of the 261 guarded, 137 are actually left unguarded.

 An unacceptable vulnerability

There isn’t a doubt an inseverable hyperlink between the surprising porousness of Nigeria`s borders within the north-east and northwest areas of the nation with the rampaging terrorism convulsing Nigeria from these areas.

It makes perverse sense that if the door to a home for instance is left open and there’s no one there to examine motion out and in of the home, all method of vermin will discover their means into the home and construct their nests.

And because it with vermin, as soon as the home is discovered to be handy with solely minimal disturbance, they create others in and earlier than later, they flip it into their area.

This has just about turn out to be the case with Nigeria with terrorists pouring into the nation, ravaging communities and even threatening the nation`s seat of energy and authorities.

A rustic unable to safe its borders is a rustic which is itself unsecure. There isn’t a doubt that extra needs to be achieved to vary what’s an unsettling narrative.

The picture of terrorists pouring into the nation over porous borders to torment Nigerians is  a haunting one certainly.

 Kene Obiezu

Twitter: @kenobiezu

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