Verifies tape of sect leaders seeking dialogue
THE Federal Government yesterday warned of the threats that the activities of Boko Haram posed to Nigeria’s and her neighbours’ economies, apart from the destruction of lives and infrastructure caused by the sect.
The warning came amid plans by the government to investigate the tape aired on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) network news of Tuesday in which some masked men declared their intention to negotiate with the government.
Yesterday too, Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Dahiru Dikko Abubakar, visited the Defence Headquarters complex where he meet with Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar, towards strengthening the partnership between the police and the military in order to curtail the current security challenges facing the nation.
The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, yesterday lamented the impact of the terror attacks by Boko Haram on Northern Nigeria, saying that its economy was on the brink of collapse. He said that the region needed more peace to accelerate its development.
The minister also said that the Federal Government wanted to know the authenticity of the NTA tape and the speakers.
Maku told journalists at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that the attack on Kano was an attack on not only the centre of commerce in the North but also Niger, Chad and northern Cameroun.
He expressed sadness that a supposed Islamic sect could talk of attacking Sokoto, the seat of the Caliphate and spiritual headquarters of Muslims in Nigeria.
He said: “If a part of this country is in need of peace today, it is northern Nigeria. From all the statistics, we are still behind in infrastructure, in literacy level and in industrialisation. So, we need peace and this peace will only be made possible when all stakeholders are involved. Each time the issues of security comes up, I believe it only highlights the importance the security issues have assumed in the life of our country at the moment. Specifically on terrorism, which unfortunately has become part of our lives, government approach to it has been very consistent. There is no confusion about it. The first approach that government has taken is to develop capacity to contain it, to defeat it, to fight it as it unfolds until we are able to overcome it. You have seen this in the last one year, particularly that government has consistently invested in security and the results are paying off. If you look at what has gone on in the last few months, you have seen that gradually, our intelligence services particularly have improved significantly in their capacity and reach. And a lot of arrests are being made, almost routinely.
“The whole issue about terror is intelligence really. The physical deployment of troops is important. But because we are not fighting a standing army, what is required is intelligence and the Federal Government has invested in it. In spite of all these, it is the understanding of the Federal Government that those involved in terror attacks are our children. Yes, foreigners are involved but they do so in partnership or in collaboration with some Nigerians. And because they are our citizens, we have continued to call on them to lay down their arms. Whatever grievances they have can be better realised by bringing those grievances in an orderly way to the government at all levels.” “Some of those grievances are not even with the Federal Government. Some are. But whatever grievances that they have, the mere fact that they have grievances and they have taken to violence presupposes that we should listen to them, in spite of the fact that as a government, we must defend innocent citizens some of whom have lost their lives in the course of these terror attacks.”
Maku continued: “If some names were mentioned by some media houses, it doesn’t mean that it could be true. It could be false. We don’t just take it on the pages of newspapers because you report a story, whether it is NTA, radio or video. It takes more than that to establish the veracity of a claim. So, our doors are open to every formal channel of communication for the evolution of a process that should lead to a dialogue. So, the government is clear. We are ready to dialogue. Already, the President had said so.
“The attack on Kano is so significant because Kano has always been the commercial centre of Western Sudan for the past 500 years. Ever before the evolution of Nigeria, Kano was the centre of the economy of the North and the economy of Niger Republic. And it is the economy of Chad. It is the economy of northern Cameroun. So, when you destabilise peace in Kano, you threaten the foundation of economic and social well-being of all northerners.”
The minister added: “If you go and attack Sokoto, for example, Sokoto is the spiritual headquarters of all Muslims in the country. The Sultan of Sokoto is officially recognised as the leader of Muslims in Nigeria. He is the Prime leader and authority of Islam. So, if for example you threaten to attack Sokoto, what is the benefit? And that is why we continue to say that we do not see much of religion in what is happening because Sokoto is virtually an Islamic centre and the headquarters of the Caliphate . So, if you go and attack Sokoto, in what way does it affect the cause of Islam if it is Islam they are fighting for?”
The Nigerian Army and the Navy have intensified security at all their formations following last Tuesday’s explosion at the 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna Barracks.
The military outfits now restrict vehicles that are not owned by military officers from entering all their formations.
The Spokesman of the Navy in the Western Naval Command, Lt. Cdr. Jerry Omodara, told The Guardian that they would always be on the alert to ensure not only security of their barracks, but that of lives and property within their area of operation.
Also yesterday, the Defence Headquarters released details of the large cache of arms and ammunition discovered during a joint military/police raid in the Mariri area of Kano State.
Abubakar told Petinrin that “the task of confronting the internal security challenges remains a joint business between the police, the armed forces and other security agencies. Modern security cannot be achieved without the support of other security agencies.”
The Director, Defence Information, Col. Mohammed Yerima, told journalists that the items recovered during the raid conducted on Monday included 10 AK47 rifles, one teargas gun, 107 rounds of 7.22mm special gun, 26 magazines, 27 assault rifles and ammo 29 rounds, five wallets, one Nigerian international passport, two police identity cards, one brief case and three Global System of Mobile (GSM) communications handsets.
The defence spokesman also noted with concern the statement “purportedly issued by MEND” (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) on the attack on Agip pipeline on February 4, 2012, saying that Defence Headquarters, under which the Joint Task Force (JTF) operates, condemned the attack. “
He named suspects in the Agip Oil attack to include Friday Burutu, Lord Onipa, Robinson Agagudu, Eyala Karo, Stanley Uduorie, Para Ekiyes and Rasmus Omukoro.
Yerima also announced that a cargo ship, MT Takoradi was on the night of January 26, 2012 arrested at Escravos by NNS THUNDER, which was on a routine patrol in aid of Operation PULO Shield.
Meanwhile, the Vice President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in Port Harcourt, Alhaji Nasir Awhulebe Uhor, has described the planned dialogue between the Federal Government and Boko Haram as a welcome development.
SOURCE: The Guardian, 9 February 2012. http://ngrguardiannews.com/
THE Federal Government yesterday warned of the threats that the activities of Boko Haram posed to Nigeria’s and her neighbours’ economies, apart from the destruction of lives and infrastructure caused by the sect.
The warning came amid plans by the government to investigate the tape aired on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) network news of Tuesday in which some masked men declared their intention to negotiate with the government.
Yesterday too, Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Dahiru Dikko Abubakar, visited the Defence Headquarters complex where he meet with Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar, towards strengthening the partnership between the police and the military in order to curtail the current security challenges facing the nation.
The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, yesterday lamented the impact of the terror attacks by Boko Haram on Northern Nigeria, saying that its economy was on the brink of collapse. He said that the region needed more peace to accelerate its development.
The minister also said that the Federal Government wanted to know the authenticity of the NTA tape and the speakers.
Maku told journalists at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, that the attack on Kano was an attack on not only the centre of commerce in the North but also Niger, Chad and northern Cameroun.
He expressed sadness that a supposed Islamic sect could talk of attacking Sokoto, the seat of the Caliphate and spiritual headquarters of Muslims in Nigeria.
He said: “If a part of this country is in need of peace today, it is northern Nigeria. From all the statistics, we are still behind in infrastructure, in literacy level and in industrialisation. So, we need peace and this peace will only be made possible when all stakeholders are involved. Each time the issues of security comes up, I believe it only highlights the importance the security issues have assumed in the life of our country at the moment. Specifically on terrorism, which unfortunately has become part of our lives, government approach to it has been very consistent. There is no confusion about it. The first approach that government has taken is to develop capacity to contain it, to defeat it, to fight it as it unfolds until we are able to overcome it. You have seen this in the last one year, particularly that government has consistently invested in security and the results are paying off. If you look at what has gone on in the last few months, you have seen that gradually, our intelligence services particularly have improved significantly in their capacity and reach. And a lot of arrests are being made, almost routinely.
“The whole issue about terror is intelligence really. The physical deployment of troops is important. But because we are not fighting a standing army, what is required is intelligence and the Federal Government has invested in it. In spite of all these, it is the understanding of the Federal Government that those involved in terror attacks are our children. Yes, foreigners are involved but they do so in partnership or in collaboration with some Nigerians. And because they are our citizens, we have continued to call on them to lay down their arms. Whatever grievances they have can be better realised by bringing those grievances in an orderly way to the government at all levels.” “Some of those grievances are not even with the Federal Government. Some are. But whatever grievances that they have, the mere fact that they have grievances and they have taken to violence presupposes that we should listen to them, in spite of the fact that as a government, we must defend innocent citizens some of whom have lost their lives in the course of these terror attacks.”
Maku continued: “If some names were mentioned by some media houses, it doesn’t mean that it could be true. It could be false. We don’t just take it on the pages of newspapers because you report a story, whether it is NTA, radio or video. It takes more than that to establish the veracity of a claim. So, our doors are open to every formal channel of communication for the evolution of a process that should lead to a dialogue. So, the government is clear. We are ready to dialogue. Already, the President had said so.
“The attack on Kano is so significant because Kano has always been the commercial centre of Western Sudan for the past 500 years. Ever before the evolution of Nigeria, Kano was the centre of the economy of the North and the economy of Niger Republic. And it is the economy of Chad. It is the economy of northern Cameroun. So, when you destabilise peace in Kano, you threaten the foundation of economic and social well-being of all northerners.”
The minister added: “If you go and attack Sokoto, for example, Sokoto is the spiritual headquarters of all Muslims in the country. The Sultan of Sokoto is officially recognised as the leader of Muslims in Nigeria. He is the Prime leader and authority of Islam. So, if for example you threaten to attack Sokoto, what is the benefit? And that is why we continue to say that we do not see much of religion in what is happening because Sokoto is virtually an Islamic centre and the headquarters of the Caliphate . So, if you go and attack Sokoto, in what way does it affect the cause of Islam if it is Islam they are fighting for?”
The Nigerian Army and the Navy have intensified security at all their formations following last Tuesday’s explosion at the 1 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna Barracks.
The military outfits now restrict vehicles that are not owned by military officers from entering all their formations.
The Spokesman of the Navy in the Western Naval Command, Lt. Cdr. Jerry Omodara, told The Guardian that they would always be on the alert to ensure not only security of their barracks, but that of lives and property within their area of operation.
Also yesterday, the Defence Headquarters released details of the large cache of arms and ammunition discovered during a joint military/police raid in the Mariri area of Kano State.
Abubakar told Petinrin that “the task of confronting the internal security challenges remains a joint business between the police, the armed forces and other security agencies. Modern security cannot be achieved without the support of other security agencies.”
The Director, Defence Information, Col. Mohammed Yerima, told journalists that the items recovered during the raid conducted on Monday included 10 AK47 rifles, one teargas gun, 107 rounds of 7.22mm special gun, 26 magazines, 27 assault rifles and ammo 29 rounds, five wallets, one Nigerian international passport, two police identity cards, one brief case and three Global System of Mobile (GSM) communications handsets.
The defence spokesman also noted with concern the statement “purportedly issued by MEND” (Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta) on the attack on Agip pipeline on February 4, 2012, saying that Defence Headquarters, under which the Joint Task Force (JTF) operates, condemned the attack. “
He named suspects in the Agip Oil attack to include Friday Burutu, Lord Onipa, Robinson Agagudu, Eyala Karo, Stanley Uduorie, Para Ekiyes and Rasmus Omukoro.
Yerima also announced that a cargo ship, MT Takoradi was on the night of January 26, 2012 arrested at Escravos by NNS THUNDER, which was on a routine patrol in aid of Operation PULO Shield.
Meanwhile, the Vice President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) in Port Harcourt, Alhaji Nasir Awhulebe Uhor, has described the planned dialogue between the Federal Government and Boko Haram as a welcome development.
SOURCE: The Guardian, 9 February 2012. http://ngrguardiannews.com/
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