Daily Trust Thursday, 14 July 2011
Detachments of the Nigeria Army deployed in Maiduguri to quell the Boko Haram insurgency will not be removed because their removal will not be a solution to the terrorism crisis in Borno State, National Security Adviser [NSA] to the President retired General Andrew Azazi said in Abuja yesterday.
He was apparently reacting to Tuesday’s call by eminent Borno citizens under the aegis of the Borno Elders Forum for troops to be withdrawn from Maiduguri streets on the grounds that their presence has not improved the security situation. They also accused the soldiers of killing innocent persons in the name of pursuing Boko Haram elements and of harassing city residents, leading to the current mass exodus from Maiduguri.
Azazi said while some residents might not be comfortable with the troops’ presence, their removal from Maiduguri is not a solution to the problem of terrorism in the state or in any part of Nigeria. He said, “The soldiers are barely one month old in Borno.
Soldiers deployed in any part of Nigeria must behave responsibly at all times. Unfortunately, when you are the target of a bomb attack, there is the possibility that you react in a manner not approved by the people. There is need for cooperation from all sides; the military, the people and everybody.”
The NSA also said, “Terrorism is a new phenomenon in Nigeria. It is a new threat and there are new initiatives to deal with the situation. The security issues in the country today are keeping the security agencies on their toes, but they need the cooperation of all Nigerians to put an end to the crises.’’
He said his office was already putting in place new measures to address the security challenges in the country.
“First is public enlightenment to let people know what to do to enhance their own security and safety. We have also created a counter-terrorism department to collate and analyse strategic intelligence on terrorism. Terrorism is a global phenomenon, but our objective in Nigeria is to focus on the country while cooperating with development partners and our neighbours to ensure that we check terrorism.”
According to him, a committee has been set up on the protection of critical national infrastructure to ensure that they are kept safe. He said, “Public places, including banks and other critical infrastructure, must be protected in the new security arrangements being put in place.’’ He added that there was the need to train and retrain security personnel and provide them with modern-day equipment to enable them to discharge their functions effectively.
He expressed regret that security and safety were not given adequate attention in the past, and he said it is time the country focuses squarely on security and safety of lives and property.
He also said, “All Nigerians must be part of the process. We must be prepared to give information to security agencies anytime we see strange things or objects in our neighbourhood. There is also the need to put in motion the process of reconciliation with aggrieved segments of the society. Whether it is Boko Haram or any other group, we need to dialogue. Those aggrieved are not enemies. We need to discuss and look for a way forward for our country. Nigeria is one. We are one people and should live together peacefully.”
Written by Nasiru L. Abubakar
Edited for NYNA Blog by Kabeer M. Adamu
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