Inauguration: Security officials recieve threats

Less than 48 hours to Sunday’s Presidential Inauguration, a security sub-committee headed by the National Security Adviser was set up to deal with the volume of threats to the ceremony that have poured in since the April elections ended.


It was learnt that different groups and individuals continued to send messages to security agents threatening to disrupt the inauguration., however they had made no demands.

The heads of all the security agencies arrived in Abuja early in the week for an emergency meeting with the NSA, Gen. Owoye Azazi, to strategise on how to nip the threats in the bud and they have been having meetings on almost a daily basis.

Some of the security chiefs who pleaded anonymity refused to mention the groups behind the threats, but said that most of the people sending the threat messages used fake names and addresses.

They said, “We’re ready for them; as they are planning for us, we’re strategising for them. We cannot be intimidated. We’re able to confront them with all we have and we can do it. And that is why we’re not accepting any help from foreign security agencies. It is a home-made affair. Some of the people sending threat messages have even gone to the Internet to post the threats. They are so bold and brazen.

“We’re talking about a democratic government and some disgruntled elements are threatening to scuttle the whole process. Nigerians should not be worried because a lot of things that we can’t even say publicly have been put in place. Apart from restricting movement in the capital city, increasing security at the airports, borders and stepping up our surveillance generally, we’re also doing so much quietly. We’re waiting for them.”

It was gathered that the NSA had given a lot of responsibility on the police anti-bomb squad, who he feels are an integral part of protecting the President and other participants at the inauguration. Already, the anti-bomb squads in states where governorship elections did not take place have been asked to move to the capital.

The bomb specialists, who will be coming from Bayelsa, Anambra, Edo, Sokoto, Osun, Ekiti, Adamawa, Ondo and Cross River states have been asked to resume duty in Abuja to prevent the recurrence of the explosions that occurred on October 1, 2010.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta claimed responsibility for the Improvised Explosive Devices that were detonated in the capital city during Nigeria’s 50th independence anniversary at the Eagle Square.

The Commissioner of Police of the anti-bomb squad, Ambrose Aisabor, told our correspondent that the duty of his department was to ensure that IEDs were not planted anywhere activities were going to take place on Sunday.

He said, “All hands are on deck. We’re fully prepared. We’re sweeping everywhere and we’re not restricting ourselves to the Eagle Square. Maximum attention will be given to the National Stadium, International Conference Centre, mosques and churches.”