Terror alert: FG reassures Nigerians, pushes back against US, UK

 

Against the backdrop of the terror alerts issued by both the United States and the United Kingdom last week, the Federal Government, on Monday, assured Nigerians to go about their lawful businesses as the country is safe and secure.

The government also came down hard on the United States Mission in Nigeria, the British High Commission and other foreign missions over the terror alerts they issued last week.

The Federal Government dismissed the security advisories, describing them as false, insisting that it was irresponsible to give signals of heightened insecurity in the country when there was no basis for it.

The National Security Adviser, Maj Gen Babagana Monguno (retd.) stated this after the emergency meeting of the National Security Council summoned by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Experts, however, advised the government to exercise caution in its outright dismissal of the security warning.

The US, UK, and later by Canada, Germany and Bulgaria had warned their nationals in Nigeria of an impending terrorist attack and asked them to avoid travel to Abuja.

They noted that suspected terrorists could target government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, sports gatherings, transport terminals, law enforcement facilities, and international organisations

Commenting on the government’s stance, a retired security personnel, Hassan Stan-Labo said “As far as I am concerned, the Americans and other countries would have discussed the security alert with the Nigerian government which I call Inter-Governmental diplomatic exchange and then our government will know how to bring it to us in a way that it will not create a panic situation which we have today in FCT.

‘’But the fact remains that even if our government itself had issued us the security alert, we will not take them seriously because there is an already trust deficit between the government and the governed in Nigeria.

 “It is not surprising that Nigerians believe the words from developed countries than Nigeria itself. The security agencies keep saying that they are on top of the situation all the time.’’

Another security expert, Abimbola Ayuba observed that the government was alert to its responsibilities even before the alert was announced.

He added, ‘’All kinds of security alerts are very important and should be taken seriously by our government. ‘’

Nnamdi Anekwe-Chive said, “I think the government needs to be proactive in sharing information with its citizens so that we will not have foreign states or organisations dishing out security alerts.

“It is very important that the national security apparatus deploy counter, intelligent measures to prevent any terror attack and also manage the current tension in the country.”