Security
agencies have beefed up security across the 36 states of the federation
as Nigeria prepares to celebrate its 53rd Independence anniversary on
Tuesday.
Although President Goodluck Jonathan
would celebrate the Independence anniversary inside Aso Rock, a police
helicopter was seen carrying out aerial patrol of Abuja on Friday as
part of security measures.
Also police commands across the country
have mapped out various security measures to forestall violence during
the celebration by paying special attention to churches, open fields
and stadia.
This is coming shortly after the attack on a Kenyan mall that left over 60 persons dead.
The United States on Thursday said the group responsible for the attack, Al-Shabab, had links with the violent Boko Haram sect.
A few days ago, Boko Haram leader, Abu Shekau, resurfaced in a new video weeks after the military reportedly killed him.
Shekau, in the video, threatened that more attacks would occur.
On Saturday, President Barack Obama described Boko Haram as “one of the most vicious terrorist organisations in the world.”
Already, in Ogun State, the police has put in place an operational order for the Independence anniversary.
The Police Public Relations Officer,
Muyiwa Adejobi, said the order would serve as a guide to the officers
and men of the command in performing their duties throughout the
period.
One of our correspondents gathered
that the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2,
Mamman Tsafe, held a meeting on Friday with the top officers in the
command.
Regarding security at the MKO Abiola
Stadium, Abeokuta, venue of the Independence celebrations in the state,
the police spokesman said men of the anti-bomb squad and police sniffer
dogs had been deployed in the stadium.
Similarly, the 35 Artillery Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Alamala, Abeokuta said its troops had been put on alert.
The Brigade’s Public Relations Officer,
Captain Adamu Ngulde, said troops attached to the state’s anti-crime
outfit, Operation Messa, were already maintaining tight security in
different parts of the state.
Ngulde added that the brigade had enough troops on ground to contain any situation in the state.
Akwa Ibom
The Police Public Relations Officer in
Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Etim Dickson, said the police had deployed more
vehicles, particularly the Eagle 1-6, to complement the Quick Response
Squad vehicles.
He stated that the QRS operations had also been extended to remote areas where they did not have presence.
“We have deployed more vehicles,
particularly in Eagle Patrol 1-6, which were donated by the Niger
Delta Development Commission to complement the existing QRS to give
adequate security towards Nigeria’s anniversary celebration,” he said.
Cross River
The Cross Rivers State Security Adviser, Mr. Rekpene Bassey, told Sunday PUNCH on Friday that a combined team of all security agencies had been mandated to guard specific areas.
Even though he did not disclose the
‘specific areas,’ he said, “Deliberate efforts have been made by
placing all security agencies on red alert.”
Osun
One of our correspondents reports that
police patrol vans as well as vehicles with armed soldiers have been
patrolling Osogbo and other major towns in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer in
the state, Mra. Folashade Odoro, said, “We assure the people of the
state of water-tight security during the 53rd Independence Anniversary
of our nation. Our men are all over and police presence will be seen.”
Kwara
The Police Public Relations Officer,
Mr. Olufemi Fabode, said some policemen from other divisions and area
commands in the state had been drafted to Ilorin, the state capital.
He stated that the command had stepped
up motorised patrols, adding that he would not reveal other security
measures so as not to jeopardise them.
Rivers
Similarly, the Rivers State Police
Command said it had put measures in place to ensure a hitch-free
Independence Day celebration.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, who spoke in a telephone interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, explained that the command would leave no stone unturned to prevent crime during Nigeria’s Independence Day celebration.
Ondo
The Ondo State Police Public Relations
Officer, Mr. Wole Ogodo, said the police was in collaborating with
military formations towards ensuring a hitch-free celebration.
He said, “We do not know whether the
celebration will be low-key or not, but whichever the case, our men
will be fully deployed at the stadium and other venues in Akure as well
as all the local government areas where the celebration will be held.”
Oyo
On its part, the Oyo State Police Command said more of its men would be deployed in strategic positions.
The state’s Police Public Relation
Officer, Olabisi Ilobanafor, told one of our correspondents in Ibadan
on Friday that the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ndabawa, had
directed all divisional police officers in the state to ensure that
places of public interest and their communities must be well guarded
during the period.
She said, “We are not expecting any
public disturbance but as usual, it is the duty of the police to
protect everyone. We are in a special period and we are stepping up our
work to ensure that the state is safe for everyone.
Enugu
The Enugu State Police Command said
measures were being put in place to ensure the safety of lives and
property during the anniversary.
The command’s Public Relations Officer,
Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, made this known to one of our correspondents, but
declined stating the specific security measures being mapped out for
the day.
Aso Rock
SUNDAY PUNCH gathered that the Independence celebration event scheduled for Aso Rock would be strictly military.
The military event that will hold at
the forecourt of the villa will be the commemorative handing and taking
over by the presidential guards.
The President is also expected to sign
the anniversary register, cut the anniversary cake and perform the
traditional release of pigeons that signifies peace.
On Friday, men of the Presidential Brigade of Guards were seen rehearsing at the venue of the event.
They were joined by other security
operatives that would be on duty on Tuesday as well as officials of the
Protocol Unit of the State House.
Some officials of the Protocol Unit
were also sighted dispatching invitation letters to dignitaries that
are expected at the event.
Those expected include the leadership
of the National Assembly and the judiciary, former heads of
governments, members of the Federal Executive Council as well as
members of the diplomatic corps, among others.
Workers of the construction company,
Julius Berger, who are handling the villa’s maintenance, were also seen
on Friday re-painting the walls of the forecourt.
A twin bomb blast had on October 1,
2010 rocked the neighbourhood of the Eagle Square, Abuja, venue of the
nation’s 50th Independence anniversary celebration. The Movement for
the Emancipation of the Niger Delta claimed responsibility for the
blast.
Although many believed that the
government’s decision to hold the 2011 event and subsequent ones
inside the villa was a way of avoiding the embarrassment another bomb
blast might cause the nation, the government said the decision had
nothing to do with that.
Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran
Maku, had attributed the low-key nature of the anniversary to the fact
that Nigeria had had cause to hold two huge national events — the 50th
Independence anniversary in 2010 and the May 29, 2011 presidential
inauguration that attracted world leaders.
President Goodluck Jonathan had also
said the nation’s independence celebration would continue to be low-key
until 2014 when the 100 years of the country’s amalgamation would be
celebrated elaborately.
The one-year long activities earmarked
for the centenary celebration which started this year would be rounded
off in January 2014. .........PUNCH
Tweet Follow @punshcomempower
50% off Hosting for your Website at GoDaddy.com!
It's a BIG Deal! $5.99* .COM from GoDaddy.com!
It's a BIG Deal! $5.99* .COM from GoDaddy.com!
Host a site without stress on namecheap eApps|YOUR APP HOSTING PROVIDER
Submit your Website
Free webmaster resources including SEO Tools, Computer Glossary, Templates Sign up to BIGTIMEBUX today!
0 comments:
Post a Comment