Camels Now Bring In Grenades, Anti-Aircraft Guns, Others – ACF

The pan northern socio political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum,(ACF) has raised the alarm that camels are now being used to bring into the country Rocket Propelled Grenades and anti-aircraft guns through the northern borders. The National Chairman of the ACF, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who disclosed this in a statement he personally signed, said the weapons were being ferried into the country from neighbouring countries. The statement was titled ‘Our borders and insecurity’, and made available by the National Publicity Secretary of the forum, Emmanuel Yawe, in Kaduna on Thursday. He, however, did not mention any country in particular, adding that the information was provided by ACF members from Sokoto and Zamfara states. Nigeria, through the Sokoto and Zamfara states, shares borders with the Republic of Niger. Ogbeh said the body found it duty bound to alert the Federal Government to the situation in order for urgent and necessary actions to be taken. According to the ACF chairman, the camels bringing in the weapons are not being scrutinised by security operatives. He added that it would do the nation a lot of good if the Federal Government could handle the situation promptly. Ogbeh, a former Minister of Agriculture, also alleged that ransom money being paid to kidnappers was being used for illegal arm purchase. “The ACF wants to alert the government to this situation if they are not aware of it, and if they are aware of it, to ask what they are doing about it. “It will do the nation a great deal of good to deal with this situation immediately. The ACF is deeply worried.”