Police arrest suspects in UN office bombing…blah, blah, blah

Posted by admin Latest Politics, Nigerian Police, United Nations Monday, August 29th, 2011

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, on Monday announced that the police had arrested some suspects in connection with last Friday’s bombing of the United Nations office building in Abuja.

The IGP, however, did not mention how many suspects were arrested or the identity of the suspects. Rather, he said President Godluck Jonathan would soon make a pronouncement on the issue.

Ringim said these in Abuja while addressing members of the diplomatic corps on Monday.

The IGP also described as “cheap blackmail” the allegation by the UN that it informed the police threats of attack last month. He said this in reaction to a text message sent to him by one of our reporters, asking for his response to the UN allegation.

Ringim told the diplomats, “I want to inform you that our security agencies have already made some arrests and his excellency will soon make a pronouncement in that regard. I want to leave this to Mr. President and his press people to address you and the nation where this is concerned,” he said.

He said foreign missions in the country had inundated the police with requests for additional security and assured the diplomats that the police would ensure their security and that of every Nigerian.

The IGP said, “The security and intelligence services in Nigeria are very concerned about what happened at the United Nations House, last week.

“It is on that account that His Excellency, Mr. President, summoned a meeting of each and every one of us where we discussed far-reaching points on how to further ensure not only the security of your missions; your buildings, your property, but your personal security.

“It is on that account, therefore, that I have been invited this afternoon to try to explain some of the things that have happened and also government’s decision as far as the security of yourselves and your missions are concerned.

“In the meeting that we just had this afternoon, we also discussed how to fortify the security that had been earlier provided in order to make your stay here as meaningful as it ought to be.

“We have assessed and reassessed the security threats not only to this country but the entire sub-region.

“I am here therefore on behalf of the Nigerian security agencies assuring you that we will go round from mission to mission and discuss your specific needs as well as what security presence that you require in order to feel more secure.

“As I went back to my office (after a visit to the scene), I received mails that were sent by some of you present here today, requesting additional security coverage.

“I want to seize this opportunity to tell you that whatever requests that there are and whatever we need to do. I have been mandated to look into them and provide whatever is necessary and available.

“I want to assure your Excellencies that security agencies have been charged to leave nothing to chance in providing you the security you need to function while you are in this country.”

Suspected suicide bombers last Friday attacked the UN building in the Federal Capital City. At least 23 people died in the bombing and 72 others critically injured. The violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, has since claimed responsibility for the attack.

The sect on June 16 had also launched a similar attack on the police headquarters building, Louis Edet House. The suicide bomber and a policeman died in the attack, while 70 vehicles were either burnt or damaged.

The President of the Association of Industrial Security and Safety Operators, Mr. Ona Eikhomu, hailed the arrest of suspects in the UN Abuja office bombing.

Eikhomu, who described the bombing as an unacceptable security breach, however, said the IGP should move beyond the announcement of arrest and get concrete evidence that linked the suspects with the crime.

He said, “The arrest is good because the bomber could not have committed the crime alone. There must be confederates, suppliers and sponsors.

“But the arrest is not enough. The police must get evidence that could link the suspects as part of the crime, evidence that will make them liable. I don’t trust statements of arrest because we have had suspects recant their statement in the past when they got to the court,”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, had said that the Monday meeting was convened to assure the diplomatic corps that the Nigerian government was committed to the protection of the lives and property of all the residents of Nigeria.

He said “The Federal Government is committed to the protection of the lives and property of not only the diplomatic corps but all Nigerians.

“Concerted efforts must be made not just by the Federal Government but (also) by the international community to combat terrorism all over the world.”

The UN Security Chief, Gregory Starr, had on Sunday said the UN country office’s security team discussed the “general” threats it received with Nigerian officials a month ago.

He was however not specific about the threats or the officials involved in the discussions.

“I will not discuss the specifics of these threats. However, about a month ago, we received general threat, it was very general, it was non-specific, and it did not give us any details.

“Nevertheless, the security apparatus here did in fact inform the host government; we can’t figure out specific actions that were taken. These are general threats we receive from UN offices all over the world,” he had said while responding to questions from journalists during a press conference addressed by the visiting Deputy Secretary-General of the UN, Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, in Abuja.

But Ringim wrote in a terse response to our correspondent’s enquiry, “a cheap blackmail attempt.”

Meanwhile, investigation into the blast continued on Monday as forensic experts combed the damaged building.

Our correspondent who visited the crime scene observed men of the police anti-bomb squad on duty as well as a detachment of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and private security guards.