Former FCT Commissioner of Police, Lawrence Alobi [rtd], has raised urgent concerns over Nigeria’s porous borders and deteriorating national security, urging the government to prioritise protection of its citizens above all else.

Speaking in an interview with Arise News on Friday, Alobi stressed that the country’s vulnerability is compounded by weak enforcement, lack of political will, and politicisation of security agencies.

“First time we’ve heard about this, the complaints or the Boko Haram surge in insecurity has been blamed, but I’m wondering why we have not seen the matching action. If you match the complaints, you’ve not seen an action that backs that.

“Even the ant is conscious of its territory, of its security. That’s why the ant built an ant hill. And if you destroy the ant hill before Tuesday, the ant will mobilise forces and rebuild it again. They are conscious of the importance of security in the environment,” Alobi said.

He highlighted the risks posed by Nigeria’s borders, describing them as overly porous and exploited by both criminals and neighbouring actors.

“Our borders are so porous, and this porosity of our borders has made us very vulnerable to being attacked, to see our neighbours infiltrate our country, to be armed, to deliver weapons, with drugs, and so on. So my security agency has compromised, and this is not good for the security of this country.”

Alobi called on the government to demonstrate political will in securing the nation, citing Section 14(b) of the Constitution, which mandates that “the security of the people is the primary purpose of government.” He warned,

“If the government cannot see security as its primary duty, then the government should reject this role as a government. I think the government should take that political will to ensure that our country is protected.

“ It’s becoming a burden to us. We don’t even know who are those who are in our country. We don’t know who are our citizens. We don’t know who are foreigners. We don’t even check. We don’t even know what people are dealing with. Our country is as free as the air for people to come in and move in without any reason to go.”

Reinforcing the view of security expert General Mbugatai, Alobi urged the administration to take decisive action. “Mr Mbugatai has made a very valid suggestion, which I also want to reinforce and say, Mr President and the government of Nigeria, you see that’s very, very important and should address it.

“Our security is critical and very important. When we leave our border to be so porous, we make ourselves very vulnerable. And when our neighbours, even among Nigerians, use some of these avenues to make money, who have no conscience, who think that money is the ultimate in their life… our government should take and make sure that our country is safe and secure for all our citizens.”

On why political will appears lacking, Alobi pointed to ethnic sentiments and regional ties influencing decisions. “Most of our northern brothers have relations from Chad, Niger. So this ethnic sentiment can sometimes come to play. We should now stand and say, first and foremost, Nigerian first.

“Nigerian security country, Nigerian security. The first primary thing that we should all be concerned about. No sentiment, no emotions. For me, no sentiment, no emotions. The right thing should be done. And as a leader, you must have courage.

“However, President Tinubu has that. He’s a man with a lot of assertiveness. He has courage. And that’s what it should be. It should not be like the wind. When the wind blows, you turn into… you stand by what you believe in, based on principles, and what’s good for the nation.”

Alobi emphasised that improvement in security depends entirely on determination and concerted effort. “Everything is based upon determination, the will. You must be determined to say, I want to do this. And you must put in all your best effort to achieve the best result for what you want to achieve.

“We can do it. Our nation is… it is our nation. No state has come to save us or protect our nation from us. I said the ants. We should learn from the ants. That’s a proverb in the Bible. Go to the ants. Consider our ways and be wise. We should learn from the ants.

“The ants secure the territory. Why can’t we secure Nigerian territory? We can set it aside now. Now. We should learn from the past. All the crises we’ve been having. We’ve identified the problem. We should learn from the past. We should learn from the past.”

He also criticised the handling of the police and other security agencies, calling for depoliticisation and assertiveness. “The police themselves should not be so docile. I’m a lawyer. Lawyers should teach them that everything protects the people, except the indolence. The police should also assert their positions and defend them, protect their integrity, protect their integrity.

“And let the government do that. No, this should not be done. Some politicians have seen the police as part of their political party, that they can control and manipulate. That should stop. The police should be separated from political control. They should be given free hand.”

Alobi concluded with examples of mismanagement and politicisation, stressing that such practices undermine national security. “Some policies are Inimical to our security and nation building,” he said. (AriseNews TV)

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