IBB, IGP Disagree Over Bomb Blast •As Mark, Bankole Condemn Act

Posted by admin General Politics, Raw Politics Friday, March 4th, 2011

As the nation mourns the pass-ing away of those trapped in the bomb-blast that rocked Suleja in Niger State, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has warned that the situation was frightening and anything could happen unless appropriate security measures were taken.

But the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Hafiz Ringim, appeared to have disagreed with the former military ruler, insisting that the situation was under control and his men would do everything to uncover the perpetrators.

Babangida and Ringim spoke on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Hausa Service, monitored in Kaduna, on Friday, where the Minna-born General said if there was good security measures in the country, such situation would have been minimised.

He said bomb blasts were alien to Nigerians and it was not true to say he was commenting on such incident for the first time since it affected part of his state of origin, stressing that perhaps, some could not hear him make such comments though it was widely reported.

When asked whether it was the failure of the PDP government in Nigeria that led to the incidence of bomb-blasts in some parts of the country, Babangida said it was a political era and there was government and the government would maintain that it had not failed while those outside government would say government had failed.

“Truly, government is trying, but some of these things remain on the people to pay more attention; if you observe, those who want to demonstrate do not always like doing so in England because it is easy to get the culprits because the people give information; if we enlighten our people and not necessarily the security agents, we may have peace,” he said.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives has condemned Thursday’s bomb blast at Suleja, Niger State.

President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, on Friday, expressed worries that violence culture, hitherto alien to Nigeria, was gradually taking over the people’s culture of brotherhood and good neighbourliness.

According to him, “this is barbaric, alien, totally reprehensible and absurd. This is wicked, evil and inhuman.”

Senator Mark, while sympathising with the government and people of Niger State, urged all Nigerians to rise up to the occasion and save Nigeria from the evil threatening it.

On his part, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Dimeji Bankole, in a chat with airport journalists at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, said he was waiting for security report on the issue before he could make further statements.

He debunked a report that he was involved in a helicopter crash with the Ogun State governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel, while returning from the PDP presidential campaign in Ondo State.

-Tribunewp_posts