Paris attacks: ​Nigerian oil workers urge tightened borders against illegal immigrants​

Oil workers under the umbrella of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria on Monday said last Friday’s deadly attacks in Paris, France, has strengthened demands for the Nigerian government to tighten the country’s borders against illegal immigrants.

The PENGASSAN spokesperson,

Emmanuel Ojugbana, who condemned the terror attacks in Paris, which left over 129 people dead, said the attacks also reinforced the call for more concerted global action against terrorism.

Mr. Ojugbana said the United Nations and all peace loving countries of the world should come together and intensify the fight against the deadly menace.

“The Nigerian government must urgently evolve a strategy to check illegal immigrants into the country by tightening security around the nation’s borders,” Mr. Ojugbana said.

“This is one sure way to secure Nigerians; check terrorists’ attacks in the North Eastern part of Nigeria and stave off terrorism from other parts of the country.”

While commiserating with France, the families of the victims and other countries whose citizens may have been affected by the terror attacks, Mr. Ojugbana said only through concerted efforts would the war against terror be won.

“The war against terror is not easy like the conventional war, because the terrorists and their masterminds will always look for opportunity to strike at the least expected time when security is relaxed and situation seems calm,” the PENGASSAN spokesperson said.

“This is why we are calling on the Federal Government to ensure that all our borders, either air, sea or land is effectively and efficiently policed to prevent terrorists and their sponsors from entering. We asked that modern technology should be deployed to all borders, especially the porous land borders.”

He urged security agencies to brace up and step their efforts to defend the country against any terror attacks, pointing out that the fact that the terrorist group, ISIS, mentioned (Boko Haram) in its Twitter message recently, was a pointer that Nigeria could be a target by them.

At the National Executive Council meeting which ended in Abuja on Friday, the PENGASAN National, President Francis Johnson, commended the efforts of the Federal Government and the security agencies to improve the security situation in the country.

While urging the agencies to work towards meeting the December deadline set by President Muhammadu Buhari to end the insurgency in the Northern part of the country, Mr. Johnson said curtailing the activities of Boko Haram must be seen as a national challenge.

“There is room for improvement to ensure a safer country. Our call is for the government to evolve ways of resolving various agitations in the different parts of country to keep Nigeria as one indivisible and cohesive nation,” he said.

“Security is a job for all Nigerians and all hands must be on deck to ensure that we keep Nigeria a save place.”