Appoints SA; CCTVs for major cities
By Kingsley Omonobi & Henry Umoru
ABUJA— PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, held a crucial emergency meeting of the Nigerian Security Council to address the state of security in the country where a number of measures were approved just as foreign investigation experts invited by the Federal Government to assist in the investigation of New Year Eve bomb explosion at mammy market, Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja were expected in the country last night.

Meantime, violence continued in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, yesterday as a policeman was shot dead, the latest in a string of violent attacks in the city

The security meeting convened by the president was attended by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, the ministers of defence, Mr. Adetokunbo Kayode; interior, Emmanuel Iheanacho; and police affairs, Mr Humphrey Abbah.

Also in attendance were the National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubike Ihejirika, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Dikko Umar, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice_Admiral Ola Ibrahim and the Inspector_General of Police, Mr Hafiz Ringim.

The Director_General of SSS, Mr. Ekpeyong Ita, the Director-General of Nigeria Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. E. Oladeji and the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Mike Oghiadomhe, were also in attendance.

The security meeting summoned by President Jonathan also reviewed the bomb incident and condemned them as an act of terrorism while the president will  appoint a special adviser on terrorism in the next one week.

Mr. President is expected to work with the National Assembly to ensure the speedy passage of the anti-terrorism bill. Certain committees were also to be set up while a presidential committee on the control of explosive and other incendiary materials is to be set up.

Vanguard learnt that a committee on public enlightenment on general security awareness amongst citizens was being planned, while government would introduce CCTVs in public place for access control.

Meanwhile, in the build to the elections, the public have been directed to ensure the prompt arrest and prosecution of political thugs, while all armories licenced by the police are to be further inspected to regulate how the materials are imported and used in the country.

Borno State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Abubakar who confirmed the killing of the police officer said: “Corporal James was trailed by two people on a motorcycle when he disengaged from patrol duty this morning, and they shot him dead near police quarters in Gwange ward at about 9:45 a.m.”

President Jonathan, yesterday, summoned the security meeting just as Vanguard gathered that the foreign detonation experts sent by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Homeland Security Agency were being expected in the country last night.

As a result of the expected arrival of the foreign experts, it was gathered that the mammy market where the explosion occurred, is to remain shut to any business or visitor until investigation into the blast was concluded.

Atiku accuses Jonathan
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, accused President Goodluck Jonathan of inciting the public against him by linking his (Atiku) recent comments to the latest bomb blasts, just as he alerted Nigerians to what he described as President Jonathan’s heightening desperation of making his political rivals the scapegoats of the latest bombing incidents in Jos and Abuja.

In a statement signed by his Campaign Organization, the presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, while condemning violence in any form, however, observed that the President was taking advantage of national grief to hang the responsibility for the terrorist incidents on the necks of main political rivals such as Atiku.

The statement said: “newspaper adverts by the President’s agents were already making insinuations of Atiku’s alleged connection with the violent incidents. It is unhelpful neither to the security agencies nor for national security for President Jonathan to jump the gun of investigations and seek to make political gains out of an uncomfortable incident that have caused grief to many Nigerians.”

The statement declared that any President who exploits the bomb incidents to incite public hatred against his opponents with the purpose of framing them up is as guilty as the yet-to-be identified bombers.

It added: “In a moment of national crisis, President Goodluck Jonathan must demonstrate sobriety and cool-headed posture rather than losing his head to impetuous emotions.

“The President should allow security services to carry out intensive investigations instead of using the incident to frame up political opponents whom he perceives as stumbling blocks to his ambition.”

The President’s tacit approval of linking his opponents to the bombs is dangerous politics. The President cannot surpass Atiku’s commitment to national security. Such wicked insinuations, if not stopped, can complicate the efforts to identify the bombers.

“Bomb blasts are a national tragedy and every concerned Nigerian, including those in government, have a responsibility to apprehend the wicked and ungodly culprits.”