FG hunts pro-Gaddafi fighters in Katsina, Kano

By Niyi Odebode, John Alechenu and Adelani Adepegba Monday, 12 Sep 2011 FIGHTERS loyal to ousted Libyan leader, Col. Moammar Gaddafi, may be in Nigeria and the Federal Government is hunting for them, THE PUNCH’s findings have revealed. The Gaddafi men reportedly crossed to the country on Thursday night through the border with Niger Republic. Niger shares a border with Libya. A source in government who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case told THE PUNCH that the Federal Government had ordered the security agencies to fish out the fighters. Government, he added, would also hand over the ex-Libyan leader’s men to the new government in power in Libya if found. Nigeria was one of the earliest countries to recognise Libya’s Transitional National Council. Spanish-owned Hamada Radio International had reported on Friday that the Libyans, fleeing from the Special Forces unit of the French Foreign Legion and their British counterparts, entered the North and through Niger headed for Katsina State. Our correspondents learnt that besides the border communities in Katsina, the security forces were beaming their searchlight on Kano, where some of Gaddafi’s men were also believed to be hiding. A senior security official, who pleaded anonymity on Sunday, told one of our correspondents that security agencies were not entirely surprised by the reported presence of Gaddafi’s men in Nigeria because of the porosity of the country’s borders. The source said, “You will recall that top security chiefs, including the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, have complained about the porosity of our borders. We are not ruling out the possibility that Gaddafi’s men have strayed into the country.” The source added that the agencies had also enlisted the assistance of community leaders in Katsina, Kano and some other northern states to locate the whereabouts of Gaddafi’s men.