Inspector-General of Police Hafiz Ringim yesterday told the Senate that the police have a CCTV footage of the terrorist behind the June 16 explosion at the Police Headquarters, Abuja.
National Security Adviser Gen. Owoye Azazi allayed the fears of Senators on the security challenge in the country. He said security agencies are on top of the situation.
State Security Service (SSS) Director-General Ita Ekpenyong gave details of the antecedents of Boko Haram insurgents and the atrocities they have committed.
He said the Boko Haram menace is limited to the Northeast and a few areas in the Northwest, such as Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Katsina and, to a negligible extent, Katsina and Kano states.
The security chiefs spoke during the two and a half hours meeting in an executive session with the Senate on the activities of Boko Haram members and the implications for Nigeria’s security.
A source, who pleaded not be named because “the matter is sensitive”, said the IGP was bombarded with questions.
The source quoted the IGP as saying: “We have the camera which captured the terrorist that came within the complex. It was because of vigilance that the man was forced to move away from where he wanted to put the exploded car.
“We are still networking with local and international agencies to be able to have a thorough report on the incident.
“We are determined to get to the roots of the explosion; we are further spreading our dragnet to conduct more intelligence work.”
The National Security Adviser asked worried Senators not to panic as security agencies are on top of the situation.
Another source quoted Gen. Azazi as saying: “Contrary to what people think, the situation is under control; we are on top of the situation; there is no reason to panic.
“We are trying to police all the trouble spots in order to flush out members of the Boko Haram. We will make every part of a no-go area for them.”
He asked Nigerians to “bear the traffic gridlock in some cities.”
But Gen. Azazi hit the nail on the head when he requested for more funds for security agencies to cope with the latest security challenges nationwide.
“Security agencies need more fund. They got about 10 per cent of what they requested for.
“They require more funds to order some equipment, especially modern gadgets which would enable them to do most of the things that they are now doing manually. For instance, with modern gadgets, there may be no need for roadblocks as any vehicle or person with bomb can easily be detected.
“We have acquired some equipment since the last incident but we need more funds.”
Responding to a question on whether the Boko Haram menace was political or religious, Gen. Azazi said: “Terrorism is a global problem and that is why it is attracting global attention and collaboration.”
The DG of SSS reportedly gave what the source described as “an insight” into the Boko Haram group, their antecedents, mode of operation and the crimes they have committed.
Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin said: “We are working hard with other security agencies to protect lives and property nationwide.”
Senate President David Mark reportedly asked the security agencies to check Boko Haram and make the nation safe.
Another source quoted Mark as saying: “The security agencies must rise to the challenge. Nigerians are looking forward to them even though it is a strange crime being committed now.”
But Senators were divided on the outcome of the meeting.
A Senator from the South said: “They (the security chiefs) did not have much to say; we were not impressed because of the magnitude of the challenges at hand.
“It was one of the reasons why we had no appetite to continue with the screening of ministerial nominees.”
A Senator from the Northeast said: “With their presentation, many senators were not too impressed. While we know that they cannot overnight tackle terrorism, they must be on their toes. Nigerians are becoming agitated.”
Another senator, who is from Northwest, said: “The SSS gave serious and detailed reports that sounded very convincing.
“If I gained anything, the fact-sheet from the SSS, which cannot be divulged to the press, was far-reaching and it made most of us to appreciate the extent of the menace they are trying to curtail.
“With the analysis of the SSS, I had some confidence that the Boko Haram palaver can be tackled by our security agencies, if they are serious.”
Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba told reporters that the discussions centred on every aspect of security threats, including the Boko Haram.
Ndoma-Egba said the security chiefs assured all that the Boko Haram menace would be curtailed in the shortest possible time. He said the Senate assured the agencies of maximum support in terms of oversight and adequate appropriation.
According to him, the police told the lawmakers that they had made arrests in connection with the Boko Haram bombings, but that the suspects had been released on bail.
He said the police complained of being hampered by lack of clear-cut laws under which the suspects could be prosecuted in court.
“The meeting, however, agreed that with the Anti Terrorism Act in place, the security agencies are now well placed to prosecute the insurgents under the Act. This will convince the international community of Nigeria’s commitment to the war against terrorism”.
“With the Anti-Terrorism Act, Nigeria will not only benefit from but also share information on security network with other countries in the fight against global terrorism.
“The meeting also stressed the need for the judiciary to be integrated into the network to ensure speedy trial of suspects”, Ndoma Egba said.
Those that met with the senators were the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin, Director General of the State Security Service Ita Ekpenyong and Inspector General of Police Hafiz Ringim.
No comments:
Post a Comment