Nigeria still safe — Jonathan

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan has insisted that Nigeria remains safe in spite of bombings, and urged Nigerians not to entertain any fear in their daily activities even as the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar 111 called on Nigerians to come together in the fight against terrorism and other violent crimes in the country.

There have been an upsurge in the activities of the Islamic sect, with the latest attacks in strategic places like the Military Church in Jaji and the SARS Headquarters in Abuja which had raised doubts in some quarters on the capability of the present administration to tackle insecurity.

But President Jonathan, in a statement issued yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Dr Doyin Okupe, stressed that it was in the character of insurgency worldwide to audaciously attack institutions that will promote maximum fears in the heart of the citizenry.

The President, who recalled when the IRA bombed the hotel in which the British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher and core members of her Cabinet were holding a meeting, said it was not surprising that such strategic places were attacked in Nigeria.

Said he: “It is not surprising therefore that as a consequence of the recent activities of the insurgents; some dailies reported that “nowhere is safe in Nigeria.” In truth and in reality this statement is not correct. “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, wishes to assure Nigerians that in spite of this situation, the country is still largely safe and secure.

“President Jonathan wishes to state categorically of his unwavering commitment and determination to fight insecurity wherever they are found in Nigeria,” Okupe noted.

He assured that the Jonathan-administration was prepared to further enhance and ensure the security of lives and property of all Nigerians, irrespective of their locations within the country.

FG boosts Intelligence gathering

As for intelligence gathering, Okupe explained that Government has acquired and deployed highly sophisticated security equipment and members of the security agencies have received and continue to receive adequate training such that intelligence gathering capacity have witnessed a monumental increase in capacity to gather information.

According to Okupe, this has been responsible for the reduction in over 70 per cent of the activities of the Boko Haram and other sinister plans before they oc

cur but said unfortunately, these are not made known to members of the public.

Rather than entertaining fears, Okupe stressed that in times like this, Nigerians should endeavour to exhibit the fire of patriotism, and advised the nation to rally round the government in its efforts to root out the criminal elements within the society.

He said: “We should not allow fear and despair to overcome us, rather we should draw strength from our well-known spirit of nationalism and forebearance to support the government and the security agencies in their effort to curb the menace.”

He also urged the media to join hands and key in into the transformation agenda and ensure that sensational reports that could tarnish Nigeria’s image and bring the country into disrepute and create anxiety and panic are avoided as much as possible.

He said: “This government is committed to moving the country forward.

“The reform in the power and agricultural sectors and current infrastructural rehabilitation and development are taking shape.

“These will encourage the growth of local enterprise and increase in foreign direct investment in an unprecedented manner which will in turn provide more jobs, create wealth amongst the citizenry and reduce tendencies towards crimina-lity and other social malaise in our Nation.

“The President wishes to assure Nigerians that government will not rest  but will continue to work.”

tirelessly with all the security agencies in the country to bring to a complete end as soon as possible, cases of insecurity.”

10 people slaughtered in Borno

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