*Public assets are next target – Security agencies
*4 UN staff moved to S-Africa
By Emmanuel Aziken, Sam Eyoboka, Kingsley Omonobi, Ben Agande, Daniel Idonor, Victoria Ojeme & Olayinka Latona
LAGOS – As condemnations continue to trail last Friday’s bomb blast at UN House in Abuja, the death toll from the incident yesterday rose from 18 to 23 with 73 others hospitalised, just as the security agencies alerted of an intelligence report indicating that Boko Haram sect has planned to carry out more of such attacks targeting churches, mosques and national institutions.
Meanwhile the United Nations yesterday vowed that the bomb attack will not deter it from its humanitarian work in Nigeria while President Goodluck Jonathan has promised that Nigeria will assist in the reconstruction of the UN building.
The planned attacks according to the intelligence report was to avenge the attacks by the Joint Task Force, ‘Operation Restore Order’, which the sect said has hit hard at its headquarters, thus affecting its overall aspirations.
Disclosing this to Vanguard yesterday, a top intelligence source disclosed that before the attack last Friday, intelligence findings had shown that “the group was planning an attack, aside that of the UN house, probably that of a landmark government agencies or concerns, that will rock the nation.
Towards this end Vanguard gathered that Churches and other places of worship will be given top priority henceforth in the area provision of security in the FCT and other Northern states, while important government assets like the CBN, NNPC, National Assembly Complex, Accountant General’s office, Ministry of Petroleum and ministry of Defence, federal Secretariat and the Defence headquarters complex, would be given round the clock protection.
Meanwhile, Police authorities in the federal capital disclosed that though no arrests had been made regarding the bombing of the UN house in Abuja, there was progress in the investigation to ascertain how the bomber passed through the streets and highways of Abuja and made for the UN house without being detected.
It was gathered that the registration number which was removed from the wreckage of the Honda Accord car was being traced to ascertain whether it was genuine or fake, and if the CCTV cameras’ in the FCT captured the vehicle with a view to ascertaining the identity of the bomber, in order to assist the investigation, before further steps would be taken.
We ‘ll assist in reconstruction —Jonathan
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has assured the visiting Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, UN, Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, that Nigeria will assist in the reconstruction of the United Nations’ building destroyed by the bomb blast.
President Jonathan who received the UN second-in-command at the State House, Sunday, said the Nigeria Government would offer temporary accommodation to the UN to enable them “continue doing the good humanitarian work you have been doing”.
The President expressed condolence to the United Nations’ family for the loss of lives and pledged assistance to enable the immediate evacuation of the dead to their countries and the wounded for medical treatment.
He commended Nigerians and foreign nationals who helped in the rescue operations and all efforts to bring relief to those affected by this condemnable act of destruction of lives and property.
We’ll not be deterred —UN
The UN top shot however vowed that the blast will not in anyway deter the UN from carrying out its duties in the country; maintaining that “we will never be deterred, we believe in global peace, we believe in global security, we believe in development. And here in Nigeria, the people are working hard to improve their lives and the United Nations is here for that”.
Dr. Migiro, said she came to observe and assess the situation after the bombing of the UN House, adding that this condemnable act would not deter them from doing their work.
She requested assistance to enable the quick evacuation of the dead and injured, and thanked President Jonathan for offering to assist in the reconstruction of the UN House, as well as the temporary accommodation to enable the UN continue its work in Nigeria.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General said other top-level officials would remain in Nigeria to carry out a thorough assessment and examination of the whole building and advice the Secretary-General accordingly.
UN top officials to remain in NIgeria
Fielding questions from State House Correspondents after the closed door meeting, the top UN top official said “we have discussed the question of the terrorism bombing that happened at the UN facilities here.
We have brought our appreciation to Mr President and the people of Nigeria for the quick response that we got from the government, from the rescue team and also we shared our willingness to continue the work we have been doing, that our people have just paid the ultimate prize for and we also look forward to also see how we address some of the concerns that must have come up as a result of the attack”.
Asked if the attack was capable of hampering the operation of the organisation in Nigeria, she disclosed that “we will never be deterred, we believe in global peace, we believe in global security, we believe in development. And here in Nigeria, the people are working hard to improve their lives and the United Nations is here for that. And you should also remember that this attack is attack on communities, it is an attack on families, it is not all about the United Nations. So, we will never be deterred, we will move on and the staff are ready to do that and the government is also ready to help us continuing to do our business here in Nigeria and in the world”.
On new security measures, by the UN, she said “we are currently doing a thorough assessment of what happened and how it happened and how we should strengthen whatever measures we have that are of security nature”.
Present at the talks were the National Security Adviser, Gen Owoye Azazi, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru and Minister of State, FCT, Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide.
4 seriously injured UN staff flown to South Africa
At a press conference she addressed later Dr Migiro disclosed that four staff of the agency who were critically wounded in the attack have been flown to Johannesburg South Africa for further treatment. Dr Migiro said a total of 21 persons died in the attack while 73 people were injured out of which 26 are still in intensive care.
According to her, the attack on the UN office in Nigeria ‘was an attack on a working community that was helping the people of Nigeria’ adding that ‘targeting such people is outrageous and morally reprehensible’.
“Such attacks will neither deter us in our work nor win any new sympathizers to whatever cause might be the motivation. Hunger and disease, the need to promote human rights does not stop or allow us to pause- the United Nations staff around the world must therefore carry on their duties and responsibilities. And we do so on a daily basis and we will continue to do so despite this barbaric attack” she said.
The Deputy Secretary General maintained that ‘there can be no justification for terrorism and the perpetrators must be brought to book.
She added that despite the shock and pain suffered b y the staff of the UN, ‘they want their vital work to continue. For one woman who is a cleaner there is an obvious desire that she will be able to continue her work for her family’.
Buhari, ACN accuse securities of incompetence
Erstwhile Head of State and Congress for Progressive Change, CPC 2011 presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in their reactions lamented that the security agencies were lazy, incompetence and unprofessional and are incapable of addressing the security situation in the country.
While Buhari flayed the official government response to the security challenge as lazy, the ACN on its part chided President Goodluck Jonathan’s security advisers for running out of ideas on the insecurity in the land.
In two separate statements yesterday, Buhari and the ACN nevertheless condemned the spate of bombings in the country and called on the Boko Haram group to lay down their arms.
The statements followed last weekend bombing of the Abuja United Nations building.
Whilst condemning the UN bombing as horrendous and a scare on the emotion, Buhari commiserated with the families of the bereaved and the injured.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Buhari was quoted as “frowning at the lazy official response that has accompanied serial challenges to security in the country.
Coordinated response
“There has yet to be any coordinated response by the security forces in the country. It is unprofessional and incompetent for our security agencies to surrender to this omnibus Boko Haram as the only clue to every security challenge.”
He said such portends serious danger to the country: “What that means that even foreign interest can enter Nigeria today and wreck havoc and issue a statement in the name of Boko Haram and we will bury our dead and life continues”.
Expressing his condolence to the families of the victims the former Head of State said:
“It is my prayer that the Almighty will comfort all the bereaved and bring speedy recovery to all the wounded” he said.
The ACN on its part equally affirmed that the President’s advisers may have run out of ideas.
In the statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said that the continued insecurity in the land had the potential of scaring foreign investors away from the country.
‘’The President should know by now that his advisers have run out of ideas as far as the issue of Boko Haram and insecurity in the land is concerned. He should therefore look beyond himself and his advisers in seeking a way out of the quagmire in which the country has found itself.
‘’When we called for some form of engagement with Boko Haram, many criticized the idea. But we will like to repeat here that nothing short of a constructive engagement with the sect will give an insight into whatever its grievances are.
‘’For those who are more fixated on whether or not members of the group should be granted amnesty, we say engagement is not the same as amnesty,’’ ACN said.
The party also repeated its call for a National Stakeholders Security Meeting to help find a lasting solution to the worsening insecurity of lives and property in the country as it assured the government of its readiness to cooperate with the government on the issue.
The party said it is indeed very worried at the ease with which Boko Haram has penetrated military barracks, police headquarters and now the UN building, all of them supposedly well fortified, saying the sect has struck at the time and place of its own choosing, without any hindrance, and could do it again.
‘’This is one more reason why the government should rise up to the occasion. After all, the raison d’etre of any government is the welfare and security of its citizens,’’ it said.
The party lastly warned against any knee-jerk reaction that may result from the government being driven into a panic mode, saying indications are that the increasing militarization of the polity has failed to stem the attacks.
It’s time to unmask these evil doers, Makinde, Osu plead with FG
The Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Sunday Ola Makinde and the Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, in their reactions said this is the time for the Federal Government to muster the political will required and unmask the perpetrators of these evil acts.
Meanwhile in a telephone interview, Monsignor Osu described the attack as a very sad development, saying that the Federal Government must demonstrate to the international community that we are serious about the war on terrorism by unmasking the perpetrators of the incessant bomb attacks on innocent citizens.
According to him, the nation’s security outfit cannot tell the world that they do not know the perpetrators because even the members of the so called Boko Haram that have claimed responsibility for the attack are not spirits. “They are people known to the security operatives and they must move in to arrest them and prosecute them for crimes against the nation,” Osu argued adding that the time to do that is now.
Attack is a ploy to make country ungovernable —Police Affairs Minister
Police Affairs minister, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd) has said that the attack on members of the global community in Nigeria has clearly shown that some people were just bent on making the country ungovernable and create international embarrassment for the nation.
“Enough is enough. Government will take all available measures to get at the perpetrators of this act of wickedness and their backers. We have a legitimate government in place and will not allow anybody or group to undermine the security of its people and foreigners alike” he said.
According to him, “No religion or political leaning justifies this kind of wanton destruction of innocent lives and property; so Nigerians must rise and not only condemn those behind this and previous attacks but join hands with the police and other security agencies to forestall future occurrences”.
SOURCE: Vanguard Newspaper, 29 August 2011. http://www.vanguardngr.com
*4 UN staff moved to S-Africa
 |
UN DEPUTY SCRIBE VISITS VICTIMS —United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro (R) with to a man injured in the August 27 suicide attack on the United Nations House in Abuja, as she visits victims of the blast in the intensive care unit of the National Hospital in Abuja yesterday. Photo: AFP |
By Emmanuel Aziken, Sam Eyoboka, Kingsley Omonobi, Ben Agande, Daniel Idonor, Victoria Ojeme & Olayinka Latona
LAGOS – As condemnations continue to trail last Friday’s bomb blast at UN House in Abuja, the death toll from the incident yesterday rose from 18 to 23 with 73 others hospitalised, just as the security agencies alerted of an intelligence report indicating that Boko Haram sect has planned to carry out more of such attacks targeting churches, mosques and national institutions.
Meanwhile the United Nations yesterday vowed that the bomb attack will not deter it from its humanitarian work in Nigeria while President Goodluck Jonathan has promised that Nigeria will assist in the reconstruction of the UN building.
The planned attacks according to the intelligence report was to avenge the attacks by the Joint Task Force, ‘Operation Restore Order’, which the sect said has hit hard at its headquarters, thus affecting its overall aspirations.
Disclosing this to Vanguard yesterday, a top intelligence source disclosed that before the attack last Friday, intelligence findings had shown that “the group was planning an attack, aside that of the UN house, probably that of a landmark government agencies or concerns, that will rock the nation.
Towards this end Vanguard gathered that Churches and other places of worship will be given top priority henceforth in the area provision of security in the FCT and other Northern states, while important government assets like the CBN, NNPC, National Assembly Complex, Accountant General’s office, Ministry of Petroleum and ministry of Defence, federal Secretariat and the Defence headquarters complex, would be given round the clock protection.
Meanwhile, Police authorities in the federal capital disclosed that though no arrests had been made regarding the bombing of the UN house in Abuja, there was progress in the investigation to ascertain how the bomber passed through the streets and highways of Abuja and made for the UN house without being detected.
It was gathered that the registration number which was removed from the wreckage of the Honda Accord car was being traced to ascertain whether it was genuine or fake, and if the CCTV cameras’ in the FCT captured the vehicle with a view to ascertaining the identity of the bomber, in order to assist the investigation, before further steps would be taken.
We ‘ll assist in reconstruction —Jonathan
PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has assured the visiting Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, UN, Dr. Asha-Rose Migiro, that Nigeria will assist in the reconstruction of the United Nations’ building destroyed by the bomb blast.
President Jonathan who received the UN second-in-command at the State House, Sunday, said the Nigeria Government would offer temporary accommodation to the UN to enable them “continue doing the good humanitarian work you have been doing”.
The President expressed condolence to the United Nations’ family for the loss of lives and pledged assistance to enable the immediate evacuation of the dead to their countries and the wounded for medical treatment.
He commended Nigerians and foreign nationals who helped in the rescue operations and all efforts to bring relief to those affected by this condemnable act of destruction of lives and property.
We’ll not be deterred —UN
The UN top shot however vowed that the blast will not in anyway deter the UN from carrying out its duties in the country; maintaining that “we will never be deterred, we believe in global peace, we believe in global security, we believe in development. And here in Nigeria, the people are working hard to improve their lives and the United Nations is here for that”.
Dr. Migiro, said she came to observe and assess the situation after the bombing of the UN House, adding that this condemnable act would not deter them from doing their work.
She requested assistance to enable the quick evacuation of the dead and injured, and thanked President Jonathan for offering to assist in the reconstruction of the UN House, as well as the temporary accommodation to enable the UN continue its work in Nigeria.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General said other top-level officials would remain in Nigeria to carry out a thorough assessment and examination of the whole building and advice the Secretary-General accordingly.
UN top officials to remain in NIgeria
Fielding questions from State House Correspondents after the closed door meeting, the top UN top official said “we have discussed the question of the terrorism bombing that happened at the UN facilities here.
We have brought our appreciation to Mr President and the people of Nigeria for the quick response that we got from the government, from the rescue team and also we shared our willingness to continue the work we have been doing, that our people have just paid the ultimate prize for and we also look forward to also see how we address some of the concerns that must have come up as a result of the attack”.
Asked if the attack was capable of hampering the operation of the organisation in Nigeria, she disclosed that “we will never be deterred, we believe in global peace, we believe in global security, we believe in development. And here in Nigeria, the people are working hard to improve their lives and the United Nations is here for that. And you should also remember that this attack is attack on communities, it is an attack on families, it is not all about the United Nations. So, we will never be deterred, we will move on and the staff are ready to do that and the government is also ready to help us continuing to do our business here in Nigeria and in the world”.
On new security measures, by the UN, she said “we are currently doing a thorough assessment of what happened and how it happened and how we should strengthen whatever measures we have that are of security nature”.
Present at the talks were the National Security Adviser, Gen Owoye Azazi, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru and Minister of State, FCT, Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide.
4 seriously injured UN staff flown to South Africa
At a press conference she addressed later Dr Migiro disclosed that four staff of the agency who were critically wounded in the attack have been flown to Johannesburg South Africa for further treatment. Dr Migiro said a total of 21 persons died in the attack while 73 people were injured out of which 26 are still in intensive care.
According to her, the attack on the UN office in Nigeria ‘was an attack on a working community that was helping the people of Nigeria’ adding that ‘targeting such people is outrageous and morally reprehensible’.
“Such attacks will neither deter us in our work nor win any new sympathizers to whatever cause might be the motivation. Hunger and disease, the need to promote human rights does not stop or allow us to pause- the United Nations staff around the world must therefore carry on their duties and responsibilities. And we do so on a daily basis and we will continue to do so despite this barbaric attack” she said.
The Deputy Secretary General maintained that ‘there can be no justification for terrorism and the perpetrators must be brought to book.
She added that despite the shock and pain suffered b y the staff of the UN, ‘they want their vital work to continue. For one woman who is a cleaner there is an obvious desire that she will be able to continue her work for her family’.
Buhari, ACN accuse securities of incompetence
Erstwhile Head of State and Congress for Progressive Change, CPC 2011 presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in their reactions lamented that the security agencies were lazy, incompetence and unprofessional and are incapable of addressing the security situation in the country.
While Buhari flayed the official government response to the security challenge as lazy, the ACN on its part chided President Goodluck Jonathan’s security advisers for running out of ideas on the insecurity in the land.
In two separate statements yesterday, Buhari and the ACN nevertheless condemned the spate of bombings in the country and called on the Boko Haram group to lay down their arms.
 |
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro with journalists. |
Whilst condemning the UN bombing as horrendous and a scare on the emotion, Buhari commiserated with the families of the bereaved and the injured.
In a statement issued by his spokesman, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Buhari was quoted as “frowning at the lazy official response that has accompanied serial challenges to security in the country.
Coordinated response
“There has yet to be any coordinated response by the security forces in the country. It is unprofessional and incompetent for our security agencies to surrender to this omnibus Boko Haram as the only clue to every security challenge.”
He said such portends serious danger to the country: “What that means that even foreign interest can enter Nigeria today and wreck havoc and issue a statement in the name of Boko Haram and we will bury our dead and life continues”.
Expressing his condolence to the families of the victims the former Head of State said:
“It is my prayer that the Almighty will comfort all the bereaved and bring speedy recovery to all the wounded” he said.
The ACN on its part equally affirmed that the President’s advisers may have run out of ideas.
In the statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said that the continued insecurity in the land had the potential of scaring foreign investors away from the country.
‘’The President should know by now that his advisers have run out of ideas as far as the issue of Boko Haram and insecurity in the land is concerned. He should therefore look beyond himself and his advisers in seeking a way out of the quagmire in which the country has found itself.
‘’When we called for some form of engagement with Boko Haram, many criticized the idea. But we will like to repeat here that nothing short of a constructive engagement with the sect will give an insight into whatever its grievances are.
‘’For those who are more fixated on whether or not members of the group should be granted amnesty, we say engagement is not the same as amnesty,’’ ACN said.
The party also repeated its call for a National Stakeholders Security Meeting to help find a lasting solution to the worsening insecurity of lives and property in the country as it assured the government of its readiness to cooperate with the government on the issue.
The party said it is indeed very worried at the ease with which Boko Haram has penetrated military barracks, police headquarters and now the UN building, all of them supposedly well fortified, saying the sect has struck at the time and place of its own choosing, without any hindrance, and could do it again.
‘’This is one more reason why the government should rise up to the occasion. After all, the raison d’etre of any government is the welfare and security of its citizens,’’ it said.
The party lastly warned against any knee-jerk reaction that may result from the government being driven into a panic mode, saying indications are that the increasing militarization of the polity has failed to stem the attacks.
It’s time to unmask these evil doers, Makinde, Osu plead with FG
The Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence Sunday Ola Makinde and the Director of Social Communications at the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, in their reactions said this is the time for the Federal Government to muster the political will required and unmask the perpetrators of these evil acts.
Meanwhile in a telephone interview, Monsignor Osu described the attack as a very sad development, saying that the Federal Government must demonstrate to the international community that we are serious about the war on terrorism by unmasking the perpetrators of the incessant bomb attacks on innocent citizens.
According to him, the nation’s security outfit cannot tell the world that they do not know the perpetrators because even the members of the so called Boko Haram that have claimed responsibility for the attack are not spirits. “They are people known to the security operatives and they must move in to arrest them and prosecute them for crimes against the nation,” Osu argued adding that the time to do that is now.
Attack is a ploy to make country ungovernable —Police Affairs Minister
Police Affairs minister, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd) has said that the attack on members of the global community in Nigeria has clearly shown that some people were just bent on making the country ungovernable and create international embarrassment for the nation.
“Enough is enough. Government will take all available measures to get at the perpetrators of this act of wickedness and their backers. We have a legitimate government in place and will not allow anybody or group to undermine the security of its people and foreigners alike” he said.
According to him, “No religion or political leaning justifies this kind of wanton destruction of innocent lives and property; so Nigerians must rise and not only condemn those behind this and previous attacks but join hands with the police and other security agencies to forestall future occurrences”.
SOURCE: Vanguard Newspaper, 29 August 2011. http://www.vanguardngr.com
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