The presidential candidate of Action Alliance (AA) Maj Hamzat Al-Mustapha has raised the alarm over movement of drugs and arms in large quantities into the country ahead of next elections.

Benue Governor Samuel Ortom also raised the alarm that Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) are already in the wrong hands.

They spoke in Abuja at a roundtable on “Contemporary security challenges and their effects on 2023 general elections,” organised by Platinum Post Newspaper.

Al- Mustapha (rtd) also expressed concerns over arms proliferation on the eve of the polls, describing the performance of security managers in the country from 1999 to date as below expectations.

According to him: “As of today, all the agencies in Nigeria and I’m sure the representative of the Inspector General of Police (IG), if he’s aware of what I’m going to talk about, discoveries of movements of drugs, arms, are coming into Nigeria through numerous borders and in large quantities. I’m talking of now, as I speak. But I’m sure society is not aware.

“The question is at whose instance are these new weapons coming in? Why the increase? Who are the vendors? Who has sent it? Is it politicians? What is the plan, can the election behold? Has the friction started between political parties and candidates and their supporters? The question is who is sending the arms? To reinforce the insurgency or to reinforce the political side of it?”

The presidential candidate faulted the management approach of insurgency in the country, insisting we need a homegrown approach.

The former intelligence officer said: “In the management of insurgency, you have kinetic and non-kinetic approaches. But the mistake we have been making is the fact that once insurgency is established, we take the same measures as Country C,  bringing it into ours– a colossal mistake.

“Whosoever does that and believes in such doctrine, at the end of the day, you may be busy trying to achieve goals and time will be wasted with you achieving nothing. Because of the simple fact that in the laboratory of security, there was not, there is not and there can never be two identical insurgencies in life.

“So you have to look at insurgencies from the point of view of the yardsticks of establishing them as insurgencies, historical development, long-term interest, security, economic or political interests embedded or invested therein and begin to manage  from your environmental perspective, your capacity and this need for you to collaborate with bigger bodies if there must be a success.”

The AA presidential candidate wondered why Borno state, which has been the hotbed of Boko Haram insurgency, has been turned into a gold mine obyNon-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

“Borno state is a place ordinarily to be feared because of bombs in wrong places alone. But one may ask, NGOs in Borno state, particularly the capital, too many. Houses for rent are difficult to find. They are renting houses for 10 years and above;  18 years, and 20 years. That is to say, there is a plan to stay longer.

“One may ask why? Who are these NGOs? Who certifies them and sends them to Nigeria? How come soldiers and police and all uniform men and women are scared of Nigeria and scared particularly of Borno state? How come NGOs are much friendlier? The weather is not friendly, the weather is harsh. How come they love Borno? How come they don’t go to other peaceful countries with better weather? What are they doing there? One may ask.

“Why are soldiers running away from the locations of Boko Haram? And why are the white men and women going there even at odd hours and coming back unhindered? Why are we not asking them questions? Is Nigeria a jungle? Do we know who we are? What are the names of these agencies giving them clearances at home? How do they enter Nigeria? Immigration, foreign affairs Internal Affairs, and the presidency. What are they engaged in? What is that lucrative thing that makes them not to be afraid of the danger zone in the eyes of a typical Nigerian? How come a typical Nigerian cannot go where they go? How come they hold meetings with these people? How come they have telephones and internet interactions? How come we are not aware?

“The question here I ask is: Is it the security managers that are compromising? Or are these civil institutions that are compromising? or is it ignorance? Or is it negligence?

“From the NGOs, they treat people but most of what they give the local people is poisonous. Where is the Minister of Health? How come what they give them is increasing cancer, kidney and liver problems today,” he queried.

Going the memory lane Al-Mustapha explained that as far as internal security was concerned, one may say, November 1st, 1999, was clearly when insurgency reset itself into Nigeria but added that the conception of what insurgency was all about in Nigeria, was conceived in 1972 after the discovery of oil and gas.

“After the discovery of oil and gas, certain nations who believe Africa is a company, where they have invested from yesteryears of Colonial Era to a new era, where independent states are to relate with their colonial masters and they are friends or associates from across the world,” he said.

The presidential candidate said African countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mozambique and Libya, among others where there are high deposits of mineral resources, the western nations ensured that there was an unending crisis, while non-state actors were armed.

Al-Mustapha said as far back as 1996, the government of Nigeria had discovered large deposits of Uranium, Oil and gas and other mineral resources in the Northeast part of the country.

He noted: “From Nigeria to Mali, Nigeria to Congo DRC and Mozambique. One may ask, why are these four countries? whose idea is it? Is it a threat of the moment? or potential threats to come? And what is it targeted at Nigeria for? It is of serious concern that we get to ask questions. That is to say, once you are bitten by a snake, the moment you see an ant nobody should tell you to stand up and ask several questions. Otherwise, the experience you have had has no meaning to you

“My concern here is Nigeria. As of 1996, some parts of the results were ready, and it was discovered that rare stones were visible in the North-eastern part of Nigeria, there was gas in high quantity, also in another part of the North-west, there also the same uranium in the the the the high quantity that is enough for Nigeria’s domestic energy consumption for hundreds of years to come. That changed the narrative.”

Ortom, who was represented by Professor  Magdalene Dura, Special Adviser on Millennium Development Goals(MDGs) to the Governor said the credibility of the electoral process stands in questioning, alleging that armed illegal migrants who crossed our borders are going to vote to decide who becomes President.

He also raised concerns over the fate of over two million citizens of his state in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, whom he noted have been rendered homeless as a result of insurgency. The governor accused the federal government of focusing on people with similar predicaments in the North East region while nothing is done for those in Benue.

Kano Governor Dr Abdullahi Ganduje said insecurity was one of the biggest challenges facing the conduct of the 2023 general election.

Ganduje, who was represented by his Chief of Staff/ Head of Service, Usman Bala Mohammed commended the organisers for the choice of topic which he said was very relevant against the prevailing mood on security challenges.

Managing Director/CEO of Platinum Post Edwin Olofu said the theme was not only timely but very important because there is a relationship between security and the peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general elections.

“Going by the campaigns and debates on issues relating to the governance of the country by candidates of the leading political parties, there is no doubt that the election is potentially going to be the most keenly contested exercise in Nigeria’s political history.

“As members of the fourth estate of the realm, it is incumbent on us to mobilise the citizenry to prove the naysayers who are already instilling fears in the minds of the electorates that the election could be marred due to spate of violent crimes in parts of the country.

“The objective of the roundtable is to find answers to some nagging questions posed by the current security situation in the country and mobilise the electorate to exercise their franchise without let or hindrance.

“This roundtable highlights the need for government to sensitise the public on the power of voting, and the need to eschew violent conduct, before, during, and after the polls through effective media campaigns.”