- As FCT orders reopening of schools, beefs up security
- FG deplores security alert on Nigeria by foreign Embassies
By Kingsley Omonobi, Emmanuel Elebeke & Omeiza Ajayi
Indications emerged yesterday that one of the 800 inmates of Kuje Prisons who broke jail but was arrested within the precinct of United States Embassy in Abuja on Monday, triggered the terror alert raised by the diplomatic community on Sunday.
This came as the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, yesterday ordered reopening of some schools shut as a result of the terror alert raised by the US Embassy on Monday.
The administration also ordered security agencies to sustain the state of law and order in the territory and assured residents of its commitment to their safety.
This is even as the Federal Government yesterday expressed strong disapproval of the unverified security alert issued on Nigeria by some embassies in the country.
According to sources, the terror suspect, Joshua John, aged 32, was nabbed by eagle-eyed security operatives at about 10.30pm last Thursday, while loitering around the US Embassy in the Central Business District of Abuja.
Following interrogation, he confessed to be one of the elements that escaped from Kuje Prisons during the recent attack on the facility.
The police which made the arrest, are yet to establish the circumstances of his presence around the US Embassy at the time of his arrest.
It was gathered that a Deputy Superintendent of Police and Unit Commander of the Police Mobile Force, PMF, Squadron 44, who was on special duty at the US Embassy took the suspect to one of the Divisions of the Federal Capital Territory police command for custody.
Consequently, detectives from the police command headquarters have commenced discreet investigation on the suspect since Monday.
It was gathered that 24 hours after the suspect’s arrest, the US Embassy raised the red flag on elevated risk of terror attacks in Nigeria, particularly in the nation’s capital on Sunday.
Recall that on July 5, Boko Haram’s breakaway faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, carried out a successful attack on the heavily fortified prison in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.
The government said 879 detainees escaped, including all 68 imprisoned Boko Haram members.
About half the escapees were recaptured, with one confirmed to be from the violent extremist group.
Attempts by Vanguard to get comments from the FCT police command on the arrest of the Kuje Prison Boko Haram escapee proved abortive as the spokesperson, DSP Josephine Adeh, did not even respond to telephone calls or text messages.
FCT orders reopening of schools, beefs up security
Also yesterday, the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, ordered security agencies to sustain the state of law and order in the territory and assured residents of its commitment to their safety.
Recall that some private schools were shut in the FCT on Monday, following the terror alert raised by the US Embassy in Abuja.“The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, who gave the order at an emergency security meeting he convened with relevant agencies in the nation’s capital, also ordered reopening of some schools which were hurriedly closed by some proprietors in the wake of the terror alert.
The Director, Information and Communication in the FCT Administration, Muhammed Hazat Sule, in a statement, said issues concerning the security alert were exhaustively discussed and measures taken to sustain the current state of security and prevent any breach.
The statement read: “The FCT Administration has called on the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, to remain calm as the Security Agencies are working assiduously to sustain the state of law and order in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
“The administration wishes to assure the residents of the FCT that all necessary arrangements have been made to safeguard lives and property.
“The Minister during the meeting, charged the security agencies to do all within their powers to protect FCT residents from being harmed by criminals and other unscrupulous elements.
“The Administration has not authorized the closure of any school; accordingly, the schools that have closed should, therefore, reopen forthwith.
“The FCT Minister restated his advice to residents to cooperate at all times with the security agencies by volunteering useful and timely information that would assist in nipping any form of criminality in the bud.
“The FCT Administration, therefore, urged residents and visitors to the territory to go about their legitimate businesses as all the security agencies have been fully mobilized to checkmate any form of intrusion into the FCT.”
FG deplores security alert on Nigeria by foreign Embassies
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has expressed strong disapproval of the unverified security alert recently issued on Nigeria by certain embassies in the country.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, condemned the act at a ministerial panel of the on-going UNESCO Media and Information Literacy Week in Abuja yesterday.
The minister also admonished the Nigerian media outlets and social media personalities for spreading the security alerts without verifying its authenticity and consequences.
Mohammed was a panelist at the UNESCO session with the topic, “National Media and Information Literacy Frameworks, Sustaining Beyond Disinformation’’ moderated by Dr Tawfik Jelassi, Assistant Director-General Communication and Information Sector, UNESCO.
Other discussants on the panel are Nigeria Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, Minister of state for Education, Good luck Opiah and UK Minister of Tech and Digital Economy, Damian Collins participated virtually.
In his presentation, Mohammed said the warning issued by the embassies which was not the true position of the security situation in the country, could create unnecessary tension and panic.
He also condemned the media outfits which fed on the unverified security alert to attract traffic to their site without considering the effects on the country.
“Some media outlets and social media personalities are usually caught spreading unverified information on their platforms just for click bait and the attendant monetary gain.
“Talking of click bait, this may be what informed the spread of the supposed security alert issued recently by some foreign embassies in Nigeria.
“One would imagine that if indeed this kind of security alert was issued, it was for the attention of citizens of the issuing countries in Nigeria.
“Suddenly, this alert found its way into the media, both new and traditional, thus creating panic in the polity.
“Schools were shut, businesses were closed. travel plans were altered, lives were disrupted. No one cared to find out about the authenticity of these alerts.
“They just published, got the benefit of massive click bait and damned the consequences,’’ he said.
He reiterated his position that the country “is safer today than at any time in recent times’’, with the efforts and sacrifices of the military.
The minister said the security forces had been proactive and as far as insecurity is concerned, the worst is over for Nigeria.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians not to panic but to be alert at all times.
“We do not discountenance the fact that terrorists, bandits and their kind would always want to do whatever it takes to disrupt our nation’s peace, security and stability.
“Well, I can assure all that our military and other security agencies have continued to do everything possible to secure and protect Nigerians and foreigners living in Nigeria.
“Terrorists have been hard hit and put on the run. Bandits have been decimated and scattered,’’ he said.
Speaking on the theme of the session, the minister defined disinformation as “a deliberate act to spread falsehood with extreme consequences on national peace, security and stability.’’
He said the threat of disinformation to national and global peace and stability is glaring, as it undermines the trust by citizens in the system.
The minister said people must join hands to address the scourge of disinformation, that was threatening global existence.
The session, which was moderated by the Assistant Director General, Communication and Information of UNESCO, Dr. Tawfik Jelassi, had the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Ali Ibrahim Pantami, and the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Goodluck Opiah, as panelists.
Credit: VANGUARD.
