The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has cautioned against the importation of foreign mercenaries to fight terrorists in the country.
Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, whose state had been under deadly attacks by terrorists in the past few days was reported to have declared that he, alongside four other governors in the Northwest will hire foreign mercenaries to fight against terrorists if the military fail to end the persistent attacks.
“Why is it that up till now, the security has not gone to kill them (terrorists)? Where are our soldiers? Why have they not done it? That is why I have come to see Mr President.
“And also I have said that if these actions are not taken, it becomes a must for us as governors to take measures to protect our citizens, even if it means we will import mercenaries from outside the country to do it.
“If our soldiers fail, I swear to God, we will do that. This issue has gotten to an alarming state,” the governor was quoted in an interview on Friday with journalists after briefing President Mohamadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, about the attacks in his state.
However, the ACF in a statement on Sunday in Kaduna, warned that “inviting mercenaries to fight our course must be treaded with utmost caution.”
The forum in the statement signed by Murtala Aliyu, its Secretary General, said it understands the frustration of state governors on the security situation, stating however that any form of fire brigade approach on any pressing issue that bedeviling the country should be avoided.
The state maintained that, “the security of the country rests on the central government and calls for cursory, calm, implementable and lasting solution.”
On the proposals to escort trains from Abuja to Kaduna, Ibadan to Lagos or the Itakpe routes by the Nigerian Airforce, the forum urged security agencies to redesign their strategies and operations by deploying their machinery and manpower to launch attacks on the bandits and terrorists’ enclaves.
The statement said, “Dedicating such operations to only railway lines, shall make air and road users more vulnerable to such attacks.
“The new dimension of the terror attacks, in the country, both on human and infrastructure calls for total war.
“The authorities may look at the possibility of utilising volunteers, such as the ex-servicemen and women, the civilian task forces, hunters and whatever is available to make every inch of Nigeria habitable and peaceful.
“We must appreciate the responsibility bestowed on us by providence as the largest black nation and as a leader on our continent must do everything within our powers to keep Nigeria stable and strong.”
