A Constitutional Lawyer, Dr Kayode Ajulo, has described the threat by Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State to employ mercenaries in fighting terrorism in the state as a call to anarchy.
Ajulo, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said that the central pillar of Nigerian national security was to safeguard the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the state as contained in Section 14(2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution.
He said that the concern over the security of the state remained the defining feature of a democratic state and its relations with the individuals in their interactions.
Ajulo, however, added that any state that failed to ensure the security of its citizens would be deemed to have failed completely and, therefore, face a great challenge in governance.
Noting that the state of insecurity in Nigeria was becoming worrisome considering the high rate of killings, bombing, kidnapping, and conflicts, among others, Ajulo said that these led to political, social, and economic disruptions which in turn culminated in slow economic, social, religious, and political developments.
According to him, the provision of apparatus for ensuring security in the country is the exclusive preserve of the Federal Government.
He stated that “The statement credited to Governor El-Rufai can be justifiable from the standpoint of concern for immediate response on the imminent danger and state of insecurity in Kaduna State.
“It is apparent that the existing security framework has shown that there is no clear chain of command and thus making it difficult for the security authorities to deal with the rising wave of insecurity in the country.
“However, one must not shy away from the dire consequences of the attempt to engage the services of foreign mercenaries to combat insurgency in the state.“
He noted that there had been records of events where mercenaries were used to topple the government and cause a state of anarchy in a sovereign state, saying that based on the system of government in Nigeria and the oath of office of the governor, El-Rufai had no mandate to contemplate procurement of mercenaries.
(NAN).
