Terror alert: FG vows to protect citizens, foreigners

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians and foreigners that adequate security measures have been put in place to stop any terror attack in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and in any part of the country.


It said there was no cause for alarm despite the latest travel advisories by some Western countries.

The British and the United States’ governments had recently warned their citizens of threats by terrorist groups to carry out bomb attacks in the FCT during the Yuletide.

But in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the security agencies had remained on the alert, despite the fact that there had not been any terror attack in the FCT since the Buhari administration came into existence in 2015.

He said, ‘’We know that the terrorists, who have been massively degraded and put on the run, have been looking for soft targets to attack.

“This is the nature of terrorism all over the world, as can be seen in the recent attacks in the UK, France and Egypt, among others.

“That is why the Nigerian security agencies have continued to be on the alert, even if their efforts have been largely unobtrusive so as not to disrupt the daily activities of the citizenry. Such efforts are routinely stepped up during religious festivals.’’

Mohammed said the Federal Government would continue to take adequate measures to protect the lives and properties of citizens and non-citizens alike.

He said the Federal Government’s sensitization campaign on security, with the slogan ‘If you see something, say something,’ would be stepped up on national radio and television. He advised the citizens to be security conscious and to report suspicious people and objects to security agencies.

Meanwhile, the Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade of the Nigeria Army, Brigadier-General James Ataguba, on Monday advised militant youths in the Niger Delta area of Ondo State to surrender their arms and embrace the amnesty programme of the Ondo State and Federal Government.

The state Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, had given the militants a 21-day ultimatum to drop their arms. The ultimatum ended last week and it was gathered that no fewer than 2000 youths surrendered their weapons at the five collection centres in the state.

Ataguba, who spoke during the inspection visit to one of the collection centres at the Naval Forward Operating Base, Igbokoda, in the Ilaje Local Government Area of the state, urged the remaining youths to leave the creeks and embrace government’s amnesty.

He said, “Any person or group of persons caught with weapons or in an act of militancy after the expiration of the amnesty programme will be dealt with by security agencies.”

The army chief enjoined traditional rulers, religious leaders, youth leaders and political leaders to sensitize their followers to the need to embrace the amnesty to ensure peace in the riverine communities.

He also appealed to the people of the state to always give useful information on any person or group of persons keeping weapons.

“False allegations and witch-hunt will not be tolerated and whoever is found to be spreading false information will be treated as a criminal,” Ataguba warned.