APC alleges withdrawal of security personnel from border posts

NIS denies removal of officials

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has raised alarm over an alleged strange directive ordering the withdrawal of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and other security personnel from the country’s border posts in Kebbi and Katsina states.

  The party, which wondered what purpose such a directive was meant to serve, said the development, coming a day after leaflets were distributed in Gombe asking people to stay away from polling booths on election days, raises more fears over the alleged ongoing scheming by the Jonathan Administration and the PDP to ensure the rescheduled elections do not hold.

  In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the verbal directive led to the total withdrawal of the stated personnel from the border posts in the two states, leaving the posts unmanned.

  The APC wondered who gave the order and for what purpose, asked the Federal Government to immediately tell Nigerians what happened.

  Meanwhile, the Comptroller-General (CG) of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), David Parradang, has denied reports that directives were given for the withdrawal of the Service personnel from the country’s borders in Kebbi and Katsina states.

  A statement issued by the spokesperson of the NIS, Chukwuemeka Obua, said: “Parradang wishes to emphatically state that there is no such circular or directive given to the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) nor its personnel at Kebbi and Katsina State Commands.”

  He said contrary to this allegation, the NIS is reinforcing the borders of the country and “not contemplating abandoning same for a second, adding: “Our officers and men are on 24 hours patrol and surveillance across all the nation’s borders.

  “Members of the public are hereby enjoined to disregard and ignore such reports and further advised to give any useful information to ensure the security of our borders and the well-being of all Nigerians.”

      The APC said: ‘’It will not be enough for the government to tell Nigerians that it is not aware of such a development, because that will be more egregious than what happened in the first instance, and will amount to the government not being able to secure the country’s borders.

  ‘’It is also necessary to tell Nigerians how many states were affected by such orders. We were only made aware of two, but there is the possibility that the directive could have been more widespread.”

   The party said with no one left to man the borders in the affected areas for as long as the directive lasted, which is yet to be determined, anything could have happened.

  It further said: “Who gave the verbal order? Was the order given verbally so that there will be no evidence of it? Were the Customs, Immigration and other security personnel ordered away to allow free entry of contraband goods, election materials, weapons, terrorists or what?

  ‘’Even with our borders manned, Boko Haram terrorists have been marauding freely along the border areas. Will this illegal order not worsen the security situation at a time the government is giving Nigerians the assurance that it will deal Boko Haram a mortal blow within six weeks?

  ‘’In pursuit of this objective, these band of desperate people will do anything, including threatening the very existence of the country. Nigerians must not allow them.”