31 December 2011<\/p>\n
President Goodluck Jonathan said Friday that it would henceforth be fight to the finish with the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, which has been responsible for the incessant bomb blasts in the country.<\/p>\n
He said this when Deputy Prime Minister of Niger Republic, Mr. Mohame Bazoum, visited him at the Presidential Villa on behalf of President Issoufou Mahamadou to commiserate with him over the multiple deaths that were recorded during the Christmas Day bombings.<\/p>\n
The President’s strong resolve came amid palpable fear following speculations that Boko Haram was going to detonate bombs across the country to usher in the New Year.<\/p>\n
Also for the second time in two days, President Jonathan again met with security chiefs in the country apparently to plot strategies on how to combat the Boko Haram menace.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, three persons were killed in Maiduguri, Borno State, as a loud explosion hit a mosque around the biggest market in the town, Monday Market.<\/p>\n
But both the Boko Haram sect and Joint Task Force (JTF), tagged Operation Restore Order (ODO) traded claims as to whether it was the bomb explosion or a foiled bank robbery in the vicinity of the market that claimed the three lives.<\/p>\n
To ensure that there is no hiding place for the Boko Haram group, which he called “evil-minded,” President Jonathan solicited the cooperation of countries with common borders with Nigeria to assist in policing the borders to restrict free movement of the group and their articles of trade.<\/p>\n
“The perpetrators pass through borders at will and we have to ensure that there are no safe havens for them in the sub-region,” he said.<\/p>\n
The president noted that casualties from the bombings included Christians and Muslims and pleaded for the cooperation of Nigerians to bring the scourge under control. He agreed with his visitor that the attack was not targeted at Christians as no religion would direct its adherents to throw bomb and kill people they do not know.<\/p>\n
President Jonathan expressed gratitude to his visitor for the condolence message and the interest that country had shown in the well-being of the country.<\/p>\n
Bazoum had earlier expressed concern at the loss of lives and damage to property by the perpetrators of the violence and pledged their support in the efforts to check the menace.<\/p>\n
The service chiefs were not at meeting with security men.<\/p>\n
Those sighted at the parley included the Inspector-General of Police Hafiz Ringim and the National Security Adviser Andrew Azazi.<\/p>\n
After the meeting, Ringim confirmed to State House correspondents that the priority they were giving to the security situation prompted them to meet again to evaluate the situation in order to get the best way out of the present security problems.<\/p>\n
When the NSA emerged from the meeting, he declined to speak on what transpired at the meeting. He simply entered his vehicle and drove off.<\/p>\n
Ringim called for the cooperation of people and pointed out that the security of the country, though a responsibility of the government should not be left to government and its personnel alone.<\/p>\n
He explained that security was a continuous process and should involve everyone so that collectively the Boko Haram scourge would be wiped out.<\/p>\n
“You know security is a continuous process. There is nothing like perfect security, there is nothing like a perfect arrangement. What is required is a continuous evaluation. What is required is a continuous evaluation of the situation in order to better it. Yesterday (Wednesday) you saw us meet with Mr. President. Today again we met with him because of our concern for the current situation of security in this country. We are continuously evaluating, looking, searching, checking, making sure that from now on the situation becomes as perfect as it ought to be for the good Nigerian people,” Ringim said.<\/p>\n
Asked if there were updates on the Christmas Day bombing, he said investigations were not concluded overnight and pleaded for Nigerians to give the president and his security team a chance to deal with it.”<\/p>\n
Some suspected Boko Haram members were said to have sent threat messages to the police, saying they would bomb some key places, especially big churches in the Northern part of the country including Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja during the Watch Night and New Year celebration.<\/p>\n
The security fears were also heightened by an anonymous text message alleged to have been sent out by an official of the United Nations in Nigeria warning of bomb attack on January 1 in Lagos. The terror alert has since been denied by the UN office.<\/p>\n
Following the development, some churches have cancelled the scheduled New Year Mass.<\/p>\n
Sources at the Force Headquarters in Abuja told THISDAY that immediately the police hierarchy got the threat message, many plain-clothes policemen were sent out for intelligence gathering and “also get the evil perpetrators arrested at all cost.”<\/p>\n
Although the source did not disclose how many security personnel were sent for this assignment, and their places of operations, THISDAY reliably gathered that churches, government establishment and embassies were cordoned off by the security operatives.<\/p>\n
Also, the road directly in front of Force Headquarters, Abuja has been blocked. As part of the security put in place against criminals, the FCT police command will today have a programme titled: “Show of Force”, where all the security operatives including the military, State Security Service (SSS) will come out in full force and show their strength in preparation towards eradication of Boko Haram and other vices.<\/p>\n
The Director, SSS, FCT Command, Joseph Okojie was sighted Friday in the office of the Commissioner of Police (CP) FCT Command, Michael Zuokumor, having a meeting on how to go about securing the city for the New Year celebration.<\/p>\n
The Deputy Force Public Relations Officer (DFPRO), Mr. Yemi Ajayi, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), while confirming the tight security across the country, called on members of the public to assist security agents by reporting suspicious human and vehicular movements to the police.<\/p>\n
In Bauchi State, the state’s Police Command has temporarily restricted the movement of motorcycles in Bauchi metropolis from 8.00pm till dawn.<\/p>\n
The police said the move was to prevent the movement of hoodlums under the cover of private or commercial motor activities in the state.<\/p>\n
As a result of the security fears, many churches in Abuja have advised members to attend the Watch Night service with just their Bibles and not to carry bags in order to avoid embarrassment from the security operatives who had been posted to secure the churches.<\/p>\n
At St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla (Niger State) where the Boko Haram sect struck last Sunday, Crossover service was also cancelled while the New Year service has been moved to Sunday afternoon by 4 pm.<\/p>\n
In Kaduna, the 2012 Afan Festival, also known as Kagoro Day, has been cancelled. The event, the largest and most popular ethnic festival in Northern Nigeria, is normally held on January 1.<\/p>\n
One of the cautious moves now employed by churches for New Year services, according to Mrs. Toyin Adegbite, a member of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Chapel of Life, Garki, Abuja, read: “Crossover service holds on 31 December, 2011 by 9 pm in Chapel of Life. Please, you are encouraged not to come with big bags to avoid unnecessary attention. God bless you.”<\/p>\n
Also Friday, the Christian Association of Nigeria, South-east chapter warned against “federal government’s insensitivity to the continued massacre of Nigerians by Boko Haram,” saying that things had gotten to a stage where Igbos should stand up and defend themselves.<\/p>\n
Chairman of CAN, South East zone and the Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Dr Emmanuel Chukwuma who stated this in Awka, during the launch of Dr Ifeanyi Ubah Foundation, said “Boko Haram is no longer a child’s play but a security threat to the entire nation which President Jonathan should not handle with kid’s glove as the Commander-in-Chief of the nation’s armed forces.”<\/p>\n
Ahamefula Ogbu, Yemi Akinsuyi, Kasim Sumaina, Charles Onyekanmuo and Segun Awofadeji<\/em><\/p>\nAllAfrica – All the Time<\/p>\n
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31 December 2011 President Goodluck Jonathan said Friday that it would henceforth be fight to the finish with the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, which has been responsible for the incessant bomb blasts in the country. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n
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