BARELY 24 hours and few days to the Christmas and New Year
celebrations, the Federal Government has uncovered secret plots by the
Islamic extremist group popularly known as Boko Haram to unleash mayhem
in some parts of the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT),
Abuja.
A highly-placed security source who disclosed this to Nigerian
Tribune in Abuja on Sunday mentioned the targeted states to include
Borno, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Niger
and Abuja.
The source further revealed that available security reports
nationwide indicated that the coordinated attacks scheduled to kick off
today (Xmas eve) would be targeted at churches, worship centres,
recreational centres, hotels, military and paramilitary, police and
telecommunications installations, among others.
It was gathered that following this development and its determination
to checkmate the activities of the defiant group before, during and
after the Yuletide, the Federal Government had placed all its security
agencies on red alert while military personnel from the various military
formations across the states of the federation and the FCT, Abuja have
been deployed in the perceived black spots as back-ups to the existing
Special Security Task Forces on the ground in order to ensure maximum
security in such areas and the country in general.
In addition, the source said that some notable politicians,
individuals and religious groups have been placed under strict security
surveillance for effective monitoring of their activities as well as
their movements as part of efforts at thwarting the group’s plot.
The source further hinted that the office of the National Security
Adviser (NSA) to the President is coordinating the special security
arrangements while the heads of the various security agencies have been
mandated to ensure total security within their areas of jurisdictions,
with strict warning that any noticed security lapses in any part of the
country would be visited with severe sanctions in accordance with the
rules and regulations of the affected service and the law of the land.
The Nigerian Tribune learnt authoritatively that following this
development, most of the security agencies and para-military agencies
have placed total embargo on annual leaves for their personnel, while
those who had already proceeded on their annual leaves have been
directed to report at their duty posts with immediate effect for further
directives.
Findings also revealed that in line with the directive of the Federal
Government, security has been stepped up in the nation’s sea, air and
border ports as well as the highways nationwide while proper checking
and random checks were carried out on individuals, vehicles, aircraft,
vessels, ships and luggage for security reasons.
It was gathered that the various security check-points mounted on the
nation’s highways and around other public installations in the wake of
the Boko Haram activities nationwide by the army personnel have been
strengthened for effective operations, while the police have embarked on
24 hours patrol of the highways with regular, mobile and anti-terrorism
personnel under the watchful eyes of the Inspector-General of Police,
to ensure adequate security on the highways.
In addition to all these security arrangements, a source at the
Department of State Security (DSS), told the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday
that the Service had deployed more operatives and personnel in the field
for intelligence gathering and that all hands were on deck to safeguard
the security of the country before, during and after the Yuletide while
both the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the Nigeria Security
and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have deployed virtually all their
personnel out for the special assignment.
A very senior officer in one of the security agencies who spoke with
our reporter in Abuja on Sunday, confirmed the fresh plot to unleash
mayhem in some parts of the country during the Yuletide by a group
believed to be Boko Haram sect but assured that there was no cause for
alarm as the Federal Government had already mobilised all its security
agencies to be on red alert for easy mobilization in case the group
makes good their threat.
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