Jonathan summons IG, officers shelve parley

N’Assembly co-opts ballistic experts into security checks

THERE was an uneasy calm yesterday at the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja as foreign and local security experts intensified the search for persons involved in last Thursday’s bomb blast at police prime office.

Even police officers in the premises looked worried as they await the formal reaction of the Federal Government to the incident.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Hafiz Ringim, who scheduled a meeting with his senior officers yesterday for 1.00 p.m. later postponed it till today.

Commissioners of Police (CPs) from the 36 states of the country and some Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) invited to the meeting had taken their seats well before the appointed time and were waiting for the arrival of the IGP. Both local and foreign journalists also took their seats in the conference hall, venue of the meeting after a rigorous screening by both regular and plain cloth policemen.

Other senior police officers, who were at the venue of the meeting, were seen discussing the explosion in hushed tones. Some of them were in the scene for the first time since the incident occurred.

Also yesterday, authorities of the National Assembly introduced stringent security measures to avert any possible breach of security at the complex.

Ballistics experts were co-opted to work in synergy with the State Security Services (SSS), Police, as well as the officers of the Sergeant-at-Arms Unit to provide round-the-clock surveillance at the National Assembly.

Similarly, the authorities have adopted thorough manual checking of human and vehicular movement into the complex also known as   “The White House” located in the Three Arms Zone of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Most police officers expressed concern over the attack allegedly carried by a suicide bomber from the boko haram Islamic sect.

For some others, who refused to talk, the expressions on their faces conveyed their worries.

At exactly 11.10 a.m., the Deputy Inspectors- General (DIGs) led by the DIG “A,” Ivory Okonkwo, entered the venue, of course without the usual smiles and spirit of camaraderie. Their mien needed no interpretation to know that all was not well.

The Force Public Relations Officer Olusola Amore, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) announced the arrival of the top echelon of the Force and as it is customary of events at the police headquarters, called on the chaplain to say the opening prayers but before he started, Amore was called to address the high table.

He spent about two minutes taking instructions and when he got back to his seat, he announced that the IGP had been invited to a security meeting at the Presidential Villa, so, the meeting proper would start at his return.

“Gentlemen of the press, the officers are going to hold a small meeting and when the IGP comes back, the proper meeting will hold and you will be informed,’’ he said.

He stressed that the IGP was attending a security meeting with some other service chiefs. A few minutes after the journalists were asked to go, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) arrived at the Force headquarters in a police aircraft and left immediately for the Villa.

However, as journalists filed out of the hall, some officers were discussing the matter wondering what the next action of the government would be.

The Guardian learnt that the meeting had been shifted to today and all the commissioners and the AIGS from the 11 zones were asked to stay back and attend the meeting.

The bomb that exploded at the Force headquarters killed some people, including an Assistant Superintendent of Traffic, injured scores of others and destroyed over 70 vehicles.

It was learnt yesterday that at the National Assembly complex, the decision to adopt tough security measures as against the use of electronic devices already in place was sequel to a meeting to explore other ways to check the influx of human and vehicular movement to and from the building, especially after the blast at the Police headquarters.

Head of the Sergeant-at-Arms, Col. Emmanuel Okere (rtd) told journalists yesterday that “we want to be proactive. At times like this the onus is on the security of the National Assembly. We want to ensure the security of the ‘White House’ before the resumption of the lawmakers next week.

“Security in the complex will now be physical (manual) because the electronic security devices can fail sometimes, owing largely to power failure and fluctuations. So, it is not going to be business as usual,” he said.

Also, the arcade overlooking the White House has been evacuated. Hitherto, the arena served as a parking space for members of staff and those of visitors to the National Assembly, but has now been closed to traffic “for the time being until security situation improves.”

While admitting that such efforts may not guarantee total protection, he argued that even the developed nations still face similar security challenges, which he said only God would find the permanent solutions to.

According to him, the measures had to be adopted based on expert advice that explosions within 30-metre range could be dangerous and fatal.

“These are people who are coming to make laws so we have to protect them to carry out what they are here for. We are working to stay ahead of security incidences,” he noted.

-Guardian

Posted by admin on Jun 22 2011. Filed under Latest Politics, Nigerian Police. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry