fbpx
Advertisement
  • Home
  • World News
    S. Korea launches first spy satellite with Elon Musk’s SpaceX

    S. Korea launches first spy satellite with Elon Musk’s SpaceX

    Biden mourns 700,000 Americans lost to COVID-19

    ‘I’m disappointed in myself’, Biden apologises over war on Gaza

    Sierra Leone declares nationwide curfew after attack on armoury

    Sierra Leone declares nationwide curfew after attack on armoury

    Boakai declared winner of Liberia presidential election

    Boakai declared winner of Liberia presidential election

    Israel agrees to four-hour daily pauses in Gaza, US says

    Israel agrees to four-hour daily pauses in Gaza, US says

  • Politics
    • All
    • Politics Roundup
    Why I won’t suspend Wike, others – PDP Chairman

    Why I won’t suspend Wike, others – PDP Chairman

    Amid PDP’s warning, APC insists on conducting Osun council election

    APC wins all chairmanship seats in Ekiti council polls

    Edo election tribunal: Group petitions CJN over dismissal of LP candidate’s suit

    Edo election tribunal: Group petitions CJN over dismissal of LP candidate’s suit

    PDP to Tinubu: ‘Tell Nigerians how much was spent to sponsor delegates at COP28’

    PDP to Tinubu: ‘Tell Nigerians how much was spent to sponsor delegates at COP28’

    Edo 2024: Afegbua declares guber ambition, slams zoning

    Edo 2024: Afegbua declares guber ambition, slams zoning

    • Politics Roundup
  • Business
    • All
    • Exclusive Economy
    Nigeria’s Inflation Hits 27.33% as Food Prices Soar

    Nigeria’s Inflation Hits 27.33% as Food Prices Soar

    Naira: Tinubu’ll shock currency speculators – Presidency

    Naira: Tinubu’ll shock currency speculators – Presidency

    University asks intellectuals to advance innovative technology

    NDIC to pay liquidated banks’ creditors, depositors N1.6bn soon – MD

    CBN raises concerns over sluggish growth of MSMEs’ in Nigeria

    CBN restores 43 items restricted from accessing forex

    e-Naira: CBN mandates financial institutions on product base devt

    eNaira threat to financial stability- CBN report

    • Exclusive Economy
  • Health
    Japa: Health workers’ exodus worrisome – Tinubu

    Japa: Health workers’ exodus worrisome – Tinubu

    Dialysis patient, Sherifat Adisa, needs your help

    Dialysis patient, Sherifat Adisa, needs your help

    Nigeria records 15,060 suspected cases of diphtheria – NCDC

    Nigeria records 15,060 suspected cases of diphtheria – NCDC

    47th Annual Conference: PPSN charges FG, states on funding disease control, elimination

    47th Annual Conference: PPSN charges FG, states on funding disease control, elimination

    PPSN holds 47th annual conference, celebrates 50th anniversary

    PPSN holds 47th annual conference, celebrates 50th anniversary

  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Big Brother Naija
    • Film
    Saheed Osupa Graduates From UI

    Saheed Osupa Graduates From UI

    Nigerian rapper Oladips is dead

    Nigerian rapper Oladips is dead

    Veteran Kannywood actor, Samanja, dies at 84

    Veteran Kannywood actor, Samanja, dies at 84

    Burna, Davido, 3 other Nigerians bag Grammy nominations (FULL LIST)

    Burna, Davido, 3 other Nigerians bag Grammy nominations (FULL LIST)

    I’m being pressured to get married, laments Yemi Alade

    I’m being pressured to get married, laments Yemi Alade

  • Sport
    FULL LIST: Anthony Joshua, Fury, others emerge as world richest boxers

    FULL LIST: Anthony Joshua, Fury, others emerge as world richest boxers

    NFF announces Jose Paseiro, 62, as Super Eagles’ new coach

    Why NFF can’t fire underperforming Super Eagles Coach, Peseiro – Board Member

    AFCON: Super Eagles beat Guinea-Bissau to maintain perfect record

    Nigeria drawn with Ivory Coast, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea for AFCON 2023

    Sir Alex Ferguson’s wife Cathy dies at 84

    Sir Alex Ferguson’s wife Cathy dies at 84

    FIFA to hold 2030 World Cup across three continents, six countries

    FIFA to hold 2030 World Cup across three continents, six countries

  • Editorial
    Sultan, CAN Sign Peace Pact over 2023 general elections

    2023 general elections: Our concerns

    2023: Court directs INEC to react to fresh lawsuit seeking Tinubu’s disqualification

    TINUBU: A CAT WITH MANY LIVES

    2023, ATIKU AND THE CONSPIRACIES

    2023, ATIKU AND THE CONSPIRACIES

    Atiku, With Wike dine together in London

    Govs’ political jamboree in London scandalous

    Herdsmen crisis: Buhari doesn’t understand how grave the situation is – Soyinka

    Soyinka sails Pyrates out of Emi lokan sea

    • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Art
    • Beauty and wellness
    • Culture
    • Fashion and Style
    • Food
    • Love & relationship
    • Travel
    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Unwise sacrifices

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: DNA: Should some secrets be kept forever?

    Alawo stool: CHRSJ accuses deposed Taiwo Adegboye of “serial forgery”

    Alawo stool: CHRSJ accuses deposed Taiwo Adegboye of “serial forgery”

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Unwise sacrifices

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Are women mean or what?

    Obi, LP’s petition a jamboree, Tinubu, Shettima tell Supreme Court

    Obi, LP’s petition a jamboree, Tinubu, Shettima tell Supreme Court

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Unwise sacrifices

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Sex, pastors and pastors’ wives

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Unwise sacrifices

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Unwise sacrifices

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Hurting and lonely hearts

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: He married the money 

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Hurting and lonely hearts

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Hurting and lonely hearts

    THE ARREST OF TANTITA OPERATIVES AND PARADE BY THE NIGERIAN NAVY – A TRAGICOMEDY OF ERRORS

    THE ARREST OF TANTITA OPERATIVES AND PARADE BY THE NIGERIAN NAVY – A TRAGICOMEDY OF ERRORS

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Six questions to ask yourself if you suspect he’s cheating 

    INTIMATE AFFAIRS: Six questions to ask yourself if you suspect he’s cheating 

    • Travel
    • Pop culture
      Nigeria’s tech industry: where are the women?

      Nigeria’s tech industry: where are the women?

      Big Brother Naija: What 8 Nigerians think about this controversial show

      Big Brother Naija: What 8 Nigerians think about this controversial show

      nigerian youth

      A Simple Guide to Being an Angry Nigerian Youth

      Big brother naija

      Big Brother Naija Lockdown Reunion: A Recipe for Embarrassment

      chimamanda

      What Chimamanda Adichie’s Essay Says about Social Media Performativity and Conformity

      united african republic

      United African Republic: What is in a Name?

      Twitter is our 911: The Myth of Democracy in Nigeria

      Twitter is our 911: The Myth of Democracy in Nigeria

      THE COVID-19 SERIES

      Tech in Nigeria? Please

      Tech in Nigeria? Please

    • Love & relationship
    • Food
    • Fashion and Style
    • Culture
    • Beauty and wellness
    • Art
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

Danger alert: Atiku’s opening of all borders

by FirstNews
December 26, 2022
in Opinion
Reading Time: 7min read
0
Atiku reacts as Wike’s men leave campaign team

Atiku Abubakar

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Kassim Afegbua

RelatedPosts

Ali Dan-Hassan: A Sheriff at FCT RUWASSA

Adeleke, Ojo and falsehood

NLC, TUC and Unionism by Hypocrisy

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s desperation for president of Nigeria seems to be biting hard; even if the whole country perishes, he certainly doesn’t give a damn. All he wants is to be called President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; even if it will hurt the very soul of the country’s attempt to build national cohesion and democratic stability. The desperation has gotten to a crescendo, that one would think Atiku has a magic wand to just wave, and bang, all our problems will be gone. He is clearly desperate, and it’s alarming. To see that his desperation has got to this unassailable level, such that he endorses anything; just anything, that he feels will be melody to the ears of the undiscerning. He declared without qualms that he will open all our borders; not minding the security implications. Politics can be played to certain levels, but not on certain issues like borders; porous borders and loose canons, spread across our geopolitical landscape. In the wake of insecurity, armed banditry and insurgency, declaring that all our borders would be open, is an invitation to worse national insecurity. It is unfathomable to contemplate playing politics on such a sensitive issue, knowing full well the carnage and destruction the country suffered in the hands of criminal elements who had been feasting on our porous borders in trans-national criminality. Our border with Niger Republic is porous. Our border with Benin Republic is also porous; ditto the Cameroun one and the Chad axis. With these borders closed to streamline operations around those areas, and reduce incidences of smuggling and proliferation of arms and ammunitions, some sanity was breathed into the system that was heavily compromised.

No discerning and well- meaning presidential aspirant should play politics with our borders. Not at all. Atiku’s recent endorsements of so many proposals underscore, highlight and announce that we will be in serious trouble should he get unto the power rostrum (God forbid). He wants to privatise everything possible in Nigeria; to rehash his previous actions that messed up the Nigerian economy. His privatization idea destroyed landline telephony, and sent thousands of NITEL staff on compulsory retirement. They became impoverished by his wicked act of privatisation. NITEL became MTEL without a headway. Government bureaucracy became the order of the day. All the initial services that NITEL offered suddenly became moribund. As sophisticated as the UK is, they still maintain their landline services, which make room for other economic activities. When Atiku touched NITEL, he destroyed it abysmally leaving its carcass for impoverished staff to contend with. Additionally, he has been mentioning privatising NNPC to his friends and associates; persons who were part and parcel of the last profligacy. He talks about restructuring as if that is a passport to heaven. Also, he says he will end fuel queues as if there were no queues when he was Vice President. He raises the roof on so many issues, but once his tweet about Deborah comes into question, one sees the dubiety, that dubiety behind the open border plan of a heartless soul. He talks about solving unemployment challenges, but he hasn’t told us how. He talks about rebuilding our economy; with no clear-cut approach on ground. He is playing on our sensibilities.

In the name of politics and trying to woo voters, declaring in such unfettered verbiage that the borders would be flung open as Atiku Abubakar has done, is an open invitation to more banditry and insurgency. It is irresponsible. Time and time again, security experts have stated that the porous nature of our borders have contributed in no small measure to the prevalence of bandits and insurgents who have strangulated our economy. To open up already porous borders, is double jeopardy

Nigeria’s borders are not just porous but also heavily unmanned. When you visit some of these borders, you are most likely going to giggle at the sight of what we call “Border Post”; some crappy looking decrepit, make-shift tacky looking structure, with a handful of military presence. In some cases, you will see small trading around the borders and some overfed potbellied customs officials playing Ludo games or draft; to keep away boredom. Notoriously, Idiroko, Imeko, Badagry, and Borgu are often said to be busy with smuggling activities. Others are said to be just unmanned, expanse of land, which bandits have converted to their escape routes. Between Nigeria and Niger Republic, at the Zamfara and Sokoto ends, they are generously porous. Bandits find them attractive to operate in and ravage those areas as a result of this. When some of the borders were closed by the Buhari government, there was some respite; the benefit was felt. In the name of politics and trying to woo voters, declaring in such unfettered verbiage that the borders would be flung open as Atiku Abubakar has done, is an open invitation to more banditry and insurgency. It is irresponsible. Time and time again, security experts have stated that the porous nature of our borders have contributed in no small measure to the prevalence of bandits and insurgents who have strangulated our economy. To open up already porous borders, is double jeopardy.

Politicians must refrain from politicising serious issues that should define our nationhood; no matter how tempting. Atiku Abubakar’s desperation to answer a quick yes to a lot of questions that require uncommon leadership and deep reflection to contend with, is a dangerous sign. Uncommon leaders are those who are prepared to take painful but well thought-out decisions in the interest of country. Sir, opening up the borders is an open invitation to bandits; a subtle genial way to tell bandits, “I will be nice to you”. That to me, is dangerous politicking at the height of desperation.
We must not allow Atiku Abubakar travel that route; of letting loose our doors to armed bandits and insurgents who have pillaged our nation for over a decade now. Even, his idea to privatise NNPC is not an attractive proposal if we are to follow the outcome of previous exercises carried out by Atiku Abubakar, when he was Vice President under Olusegun Obasanjo. The Aluminium Smelting Company in Ikot-Abasi, Akwa Ibom State is a ready example of how and why not to privatize a going concern. We haven’t heard any pleasant story about ALSCON since that exercise. Ditto others that suffered similar fate. We are suffering same fate with the power DISCOS across the country today. Cronies just assembled themselves and bought into enterprises they lacked the requisite basic knowledge of. Today, we are going round in circles as a result of that; power generation and distribution are still circling at a low ebb.

2023 is not a year for Atiku Abubakar. His aspiration offends the common sensibilities of a diverse nation like Nigeria. It will unearth several acrimonies and instabilities. Cries of marginalisation and exclusion will be heard from all corners. Excuse me if I sound superfluous, it bears repeating to state yet again, that balancing the power algorithm will serve our unity in diversity better than power domination by a particular part of the country

2023 is not a year for Atiku Abubakar. His aspiration offends the common sensibilities of a diverse nation like Nigeria. It will unearth several acrimonies and instabilities. Cries of marginalisation and exclusion will be heard from all corners. Excuse me if I sound superfluous, it bears repeating to state yet again, that balancing the power algorithm will serve our unity in diversity better than power domination by a particular part of the country. It is one thing to get power, but another to have the conducive atmosphere to use the power for the common good. In Nigeria, our diversities should be our strength; but recent happenings across the geopolitical zones seem to be pointing to something different for a country that is desirous of staying afloat, no matter the undercurrent and vibrations. With Atiku Abubakar, trying to play the spoiler role, he will railroad this country on the path of perfidy, just for his selfish gains. Balancing political power in Nigeria is an antidote to several cries of marginalisation and it would create the much needed conducive environment for robust national engagements, for our collective peace and prosperity. It bears repeating that after President Buhari’s eight solid years, power should come to the South for justice, equity and fairness. Politics and indeed DEMOCRACY are all about inclusion and representation. They are about getting more people involved in governance and ensuring that all key into what is at stake. The fragility and volatility in the Nigerian geopolitical space are hitting dangerous levels, making us more vulnerable to frictions, cracks and dissension. This is no time for a selfish man.

The free border economy plan of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is an invitation to further chaos under an atmosphere that is heavily charged with criminalities. We cannot afford to open up all our borders at this time, when trans-national activities are fueling arms proliferation. We must deliberately and consciously put in place measures that would help up the game in this aspect of our national life. Nigeria is currently a challenged country, no doubt, with all manner of strangers and foreign nationals dominating the insecurity trade even at a time of border closure. Imagine the rate of criminality, if the borders were flung open as planned by Atiku Abubakar. One sure way to mitigate against the unholy activities of the insurgents and bandits is border closure, which has been proven to roll back quite a number of attacks under a system of growing insecurity concerns. An open border plan is cheap, hare-brained and unwitty. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar needs to think deeper and harder; there must be other solutions that will serve better. Needless to say that at this juncture, what Nigeria and Nigerians need is uncommon leadership and uncommon solutions; germane, fruit bearing actions for posterity. Asuwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done it before; he will do it again. Let us all vote for him for a renewed Nigeria.

. Afegbua is a former Commissioner for Information in Edo State

Share205Tweet128Share51
FirstNews

FirstNews

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
10 most followed Nigerian comedians, skit makers on Instagram, Twitter

10 most followed Nigerian comedians, skit makers on Instagram, Twitter

May 22, 2021
Probe: DSS arrests CBN finance director at lavish party in Abuja

Probe: DSS arrests CBN finance director at lavish party in Abuja

September 14, 2023
Minors’ viral sex tape: Lagos govt closes Chrisland School indefinitely

Minors’ viral sex tape: Lagos govt closes Chrisland School indefinitely

April 18, 2022
Five benefits of sleeping more

Five benefits of sleeping more

3
Court orders Nnamdi Kanu remand in DSS custody

Court orders Nnamdi Kanu remand in DSS custody

3
No fewer than 109 foreigners from Benin Republic have been arrested by operatives of the Gombe State Police Command for alleged illegal entry into Nigeria.

Police nab kidnappers for trying to abduct lawyers, others

3
How I dislodged Shekau, Boko Haram from Niger State’ — Ex-gov Aliyu

How I dislodged Shekau, Boko Haram from Niger State’ — Ex-gov Aliyu

December 3, 2023
Why I won’t suspend Wike, others – PDP Chairman

Why I won’t suspend Wike, others – PDP Chairman

December 3, 2023
Group seeks probe of Ondo cabal, alleges their potential medical coercion of Gov Akeredolu

Group seeks probe of Ondo cabal, alleges their potential medical coercion of Gov Akeredolu

December 3, 2023
First News NG

Copyright © 2022 First Media Networks Limited

Site Navigation

  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
  • Politics
    • Politics Roundup
  • Business
    • Exclusive Economy
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Sport
  • Editorial
    • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Pop culture
    • Love & relationship
    • Food
    • Fashion and Style
    • Culture
    • Beauty and wellness
    • Art

Copyright © 2022 First Media Networks Limited