NATIONAL: Seek foreign help to tackle insecurity — Ekweremadu urges FG

FORMER Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has enjoined the federal government to seek assistance from countries across the globe that are well-versed in tackling the kind of security challenges confronting the country.

Ekweremadu noted that this has become necessary to protect the sovereignty of the country, its citizens and democracy.

He made the call on Thursday while speaking during the inauguration of the Abonnema Ring Road in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

He said: “Today, we are challenged as a country in terms of security. Out of sheer national pride, we have not been able to accept help and assistance from those who know better, who can help us to secure this country.

“This is an opportunity for me to call on our leaders, just like I am saying that other states should learn from Rivers State. We in Nigeria must also accept assistance from other countries in order to secure our borders, secure our democracy, secure our place and secure the citizens of this country. That is the only way to go. We must learn from those who have done better than us,” he stated.

He added: “I believe it when I said that we should not be ashamed to say we are learning from our colleague on what to do. If we need help, we must seek help from whoever we can get help from and that’s the only way we can develop.”

Reacting to the efforts of the Wike administration, he noted that by siting projects in the hinterland other than the city, the Wike administration has demonstrated equity and justice to Rivers people.

He said that the lessons to be learnt from the series of project inauguration in Rivers State by governors and other political leaders should be for them to get inspired and replicate such development in their various states and at the national level.