By Rotimi Ajayi

The National Security Adviser, NSA, General Owoye Andrew Azazi and the Nigerian Police have dismissed the purported ultimatum as a rumour, adding that Nigerians were free to live wherever they wished in the country as the police would protect them.

“I can assure you the security forces are up to it,” Azazi said just as the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent Yemi Ajayi told Vanguard in an interview in Abuja, yesterday, that the Police had heard about the rumours of the ultimatum and would “like to assure Nigerians not to panic as the Force was determined to ensure adequate protection for lives and property of Nigerians.

“We have heard the rumour but whether it is rumour or not, we want to assure Nigerians to go about their lawful duties. The police is ready and determined to protect Nigerians at all times. It is our duty and we will not shy away from that”

A purported spokesman for Islamist group, Boko Haram, had issued an ultimatum to christians in the  northern part of country to leave the place within three days.

According to the spokesman, Abul Qaqa,  the group was also ready to confront soldiers who would be deployed to the local government areas where the President had declared State of Emergency.

“We find it pertinent to state that soldiers will only kill innocent muslims in the local government areas where the state of emergency was declared,” he told journalists in a phone conference late Sunday.

“We would confront them squarely to protect our brothers.”

Speaking in the Hausa language common throughout the north, Qaqa said “we also wish to call on our fellow muslims to come back to the north because we have evidence that they would be attacked.

“We are also giving a three-day ultimatum to the southerners living in the northern part of Nigeria to move away.”