NSA, SSS dismiss US warning•’Nothing new in the alert’

Posted by admin Africa & World Politics, Boko Haram, Latest Politics Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

With a wave of the hand, National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi, yesterday dismissed the warning by the United States of a plot by Boko Haram to bomb three Luxury hotels in Abuja.

The US warned on Sunday that that Islamist sect’s next targets were luxury hotels frequented by diplomats, top politicians, and industrialists.Washington warned its citizens to stay away from the premises.

The alert followed a bloody weekend when Boko Haram attacked Army and ploice formations in Damaturu, Potiskum in Yobe State and Maiduguri, Borno State which claimed more than100 lives but the police put the death toll at 53.

But faulting the warning yesterday, Gen. Azazi said: in a statement dated November 7, and made available at a media briefing in Abuja, that the attention of the Federal Government has been drawn to a publication making the rounds in the media of planned attacks on three major hotels in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

“Expectedly, the publication is eliciting unhealthy public anxiety and generating avoidable tension. The Federal Government wants to advise members of the public that it would continue to ensure the security of lives and property under its jurisdiction despite the unfortunate events in Maiduguri and Yobe over the weekend.

“The current threat of attack on the three hotels in Abuja is not news, and for over 3 months, the security services have taken proactive measures to protect the designated critical facilities and others,” Azazi said.
While calling on the public to go about their normal businesses without fear or hindrance, Azazi also assured the public that security agencies have emplaced adequate counter measures to secure lives and property.
Similarly, spokesperson of the State Security Services (SSS), Ms Marilyn Ogar, told journalists at the media briefing that security challenges are not new, saying that nothing is above the security agencies.

She noted that the information, which is not new to the security agencies, is the handiwork of mischief-makers.
Ogar, an Assistant Director, said: “We all know that we have internal security challenges. It is nothing new and of course, if you ask where did this information comes from, it is basically from the internet, from the Twit, which of course, subsequently, somebody sent as an email. And we thought that has been addressed.
“But I don’t see any problem that is beyond the Nigerian security agencies because, of course, we have deployed men. We all know that we have beefed up security everywhere.

“So, whether information was shared or not, I don’t think it is the forum where I can sit down to tell you whether this information was shared or not. But if you listened to me, I have already said that this message was sent out as a Twit before somebody, eventually, getting very mischievous, decided to send it as an email.

“On Wednesday, November 2, we had said that on the 26th or 27th October, we have had text messages making the rounds that some targets were going to be bombed in Abuja. And of course, in my subsequent Press release on November 2nd, we did say that we traced those that sent the text messages to a secondary school in Kadara, Niger state. Students of 18 and 17 years.

“And of course, maybe it is out of mischief because they said there was an address they saw in a national daily that said if anybody had information concerning Boko Haram, he should send this information to a particular number. And of course, maybe because they were idle, they decided to play pranks with it.

“So, you find out that Nigerians always use various security challenges we have as instrument, maybe to frighten or create unnecessary panic and fear within the society. There is nothing that is above the security agencies,” Ogar stated.
Ogar further said: “Our belief is that, if Americans, we all know that every nation wants to show that look, it has to take care of its citizens. If they sent out any message, it is nothing too strange. It is not because our country is disintegrating.
“If Canada has followed suit, there is nothing new to it. We know we have crisis elsewhere and Nigerian Government has gotten up to say, look, we must protect our citizens. It is the same thing here.

“So, I want to say that there is nothing different. We have had a wonderful Sallah, though with some pockets of crisis here and there, but they are not issues that we have not been able to contained.”
Meanwhile, the targetted hotels and others were quiet on Monday. Soldiers stood idly where large queues of cars usually form at security gates. The undersides of vehicles were checked as usual for explosives using pole-mounted mirrors.
A spokesman for one of the hotels, said Sallah was the main reason the hotel was quiet, but that the U.S. Embassy warning may have had an impact.

“We do not know the source of the U.S. information, but anyway, we have been on high security alert since the U.N. Building bombing,” he said. “Nigerian authorities … have given no indication of a new threat.” He added that he was surprised the U.S. embassy did not consult the hotels before making the statement.

Meanwhile, the Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) has condemned last weekend’s blood bath in Damaturu and Potiskum in Yobe State in which over 100 persons were killed. The group warned that the situation is completely unacceptable and that President Goodluck Jonathan has a duty to restore peace and normalcy in the country.
Addressing a Press conference in Enugu yesterday, the IYM president, Evangelist Elliot Uko, noted that President Jonathan must address the issue of security. Innocent Nigerians are being killed everyday in the name of Boko Haram; it has come to a point where it is completely unacceptable.”

He said Nigerians are tired of such government reactions like, ‘Government is on top of the situation. Investigation is going on;’ “ like we heard in the October 1, 2010 bomb blast, like we heard during the United Nations building bomb blast; like we heard in the Police Headquarters bomb blast; like we’ve been hearing for several months now.
“Nigerians want to see action; Nigerians want to see this Boko Haram menace immediately resolved; the drift into anarchy should stop forthwith. Thex principal responsibility of every government is security; any government that fails in guaranteeing security, that government has failed.

This government should realize that Nigerians are totally tired of this off and on blood bath in the name of Boko Haram menace. He warned that if the Boko Haram menace is not decisively dealt with it is capable of bringing the government down.

Also, the president of fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria (TEKAN), Reverend Emmanuel Dziggau, has warned the Boko Haram to stop the killings.
In a statement he personally signed, the group condemned the activities of the Islamic sect and described their action as devilish, “We may no longer accept the smooth talk show by both the respective states and federal government without any measurable political will to treat this evil virus that’s capable of tearing this country apart.”

The cleric further expressed worry over the activities of the Boko Haram, saying that Nigeria may still remain in crisis up till 2014 when it ought to be celebrating its centenary when the south and northern parts of the country were amalgamated, if the sect members are not decisively dealt with.
“Christians may appear docile but when the time comes, even docile people may stand up like a mighty Rock. Enough is enough!!!

The head of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on Monday condemned the “terror attacks” and urged for a violence-free Sallah holiday.
In a statement, OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu “strongly condemned the terrorist attacks” that shook Nigeria on Friday, describing them as “criminal… contrary to all human values and the noble Islamic values.”
On his part, Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje has sued for peace, unity and harmony in the country even as he has condemned the renewed violence in Maiduguri, and Damaturu, the Borno and Yobe States’ capitals where violence occurred last weekend.

He stated this yesterday in a goodwill message to mark this year’s Sallah, noting that what Nigerians need now is peace, unity and harmony of the country. This, he said, is the only necessary condition to set in motion the creative potentials of the transformational agenda of the present Federal Government.
He called on all Nigerians particularly eminent citizens and men and women of goodwill to urgently rise up to the current challenges facing the collective destiny of the nation.

This government should realise that Nigerians are totally tired of this off and on bloodbath in the name of Boko Haram menace.
He warned that if the Boko Haram menace was not decisively dealt with it was capable of bringing the government down.
Also, the President of Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria (TEKAN), Reverend Emmanuel Dziggau, has warned the Boko Haram to stop the killings.

In a statement he personally signed, the group condemned the activities of the Islamic sect and described their action as devilish, saying, “we may no longer accept the smooth talk show by both the respective states and Federal Government without any measurable political will to treat this evil virus that’s capable of tearing this country apart.”
The cleric further expressed worry over the activities of the Boko Haram, saying Nigeria might still remain in crisis up till 2014 when it ought to be celebrating its centenary when the southern and northern parts of the country were amalgamated, if the sect members were not decisively dealt with.
“Christians may appear docile but when the time comes, even docile people may stand up like a mighty Rock. Enough is enough!!!”

The head of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) yesterday condemned the “terror attacks” and urged for a violence-free Sallah holiday.
In a statement, OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu “strongly condemned the terrorist attacks” that shook Nigeria on Friday, describing them as “criminal… contrary to all human values and the noble Islamic values.”
On his part, Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje has sued for peace, unity and harmony in the country even as he has condemned the renewed violence in Maiduguri and Damaturu, the Borno and Yobe States’ capitals where violence occurred last weekend.

He stated this yesterday in a goodwill message to mark this year’s Sallah, noting that what Nigerians needed now was peace, unity and harmony of the country. This, he said, was the only necessary condition to set in motion the creative potentials of the transformational agenda of the present Federal Government.
He called on all Nigerians, particularly eminent citizens and men and women of goodwill to urgently rise up to the current challenges facing the collective destiny of the nation.wp_posts

Short URL: https://newnigerianpolitics.com/?p=14475

Posted by admin on Nov 8 2011. Filed under Africa & World Politics, Boko Haram, Latest Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry