Monday 12 December 2011

Why FG has not tamed Boko Haram

The Federal Government, yesterday, admitted that Police has not got to grips with challenges posed by terrorist groups like the Boko Haram insurgency blaming its failure so far in stopping the bombings on the new style adopted by the insurgents.

Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt Caleb Olubolade (rtd) who spoke  with newsmen in Ipoti Ekiti, Ijero Local Government Area of Ekiti State nevertheless assured Nigerians of the administration’s readiness to meet the insurgents head on.

While admitting that the police was not yet on top of security challenges, especially as it affects Boko Haram, Olubolade said the menace of the religious sect was a new dimension  in the history of the country

He said: “We need information from the people without which we cannot perform optimally. I will not say that we have done marvelously well on  Boko Haram. This is because it is a new dimension and Nigerians like to import foreign things. It is alien to Nigerians.

Because it is new, we cannot say we are on top of it yet. However, the current security situation has given us the opportunity to reappraise our security apparatus and it is teaching us a new way to approach it. It has also shown us that we should be our brothers’ keeper. It has also taught us that we should give information to the police because without information, even the best-trained police force or security outfit cannot function well.”

Olubolade said his ministry was still procuring means and expanding the capacity of the security agencies through new technologies to be able to effectively tackle the security situation. He said the Police have been expanding the scope of trainings of personnel to be able to face the challenge posed by some dangerous sects in the country.

One killed, 12 injured in Jos explosions

Meanwhile one person was confirmed dead and about 12 others injured in Saturday night’s multiple blasts in the Plateau State capital as condemnations trailed what some described as continued onslaught on innocent Nigerians.

A lady had her two legs chopped off while some others had multiple fractures when the explosives planted close to crowded viewing centres where people were watching European football went off at three points almost simultaneously. The incident created fresh panic as residents remained indoors for the better part of the day.

Former Governor of the state, Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun, condemned the attack targeted at innocent Nigerians. Tapgun told Vanguard in a chat that violence has not been known to solve any problem anywhere in the world and appealed to those concerned to explore dialogue as an option rather than taking on fellow Nigerians who have nothing to do with their grievances.

Addressing journalists yesterday, Operation Commander of the Special Task Force, STF, maintaining security in the state, Col. Joseph Iwara, said security has been beefed up around the affected areas adding that shrapnels from the explosives were picked from the scenes for further analysis.

He said that those injured in the explosions were receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH, and the Bingham University Teaching Hospital, both in Jos.

The state government has also condemned the explosions describing it as “acts of wickedness deliberately targeted at innocent civilians going about their normal lawful business.”

Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Yiljap Abraham said in a statement, that the action will not deter government from sustaining and strengthening the existing peace in the state and condoled with the bereaved family while wishing the injured quick recovery.

At JUTH, some of the injured said they were engrossed in the match they were watching when the explosions hit them. It was gathered that two of the eight people taken to the hospital have undergone surgery.

Source: Vanguard News






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