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President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday spoke again on last Friday’s bomb blast at the United Nation’s building in Abuja saying security agencies have now established strong leads with regards to the masterminds of terror attacks on the country.
He also hinted that government has ordered a holistic review of the nation's security system and operations.
The president made the disclosure during the official launch of the new National Driver's Licence and Number Plates by the Federal Road Safety Corps.
Twenty-three persons died in the blast, including nine UN staff, while 68 others were injured, according to official sources.
The State Security Service spoke on the incident last Wednesday, confirming that the suicide bomber who wrought havoc at the UN House had a link with al-Qaeda.
Jonathan said: “Since the last bombing episode on October 1, I had directed the hastening of efforts to build a credible database of drivers and vehicles in order to improve public safety. The importance of this project is reaffirmed by the consistent use of vehicles in the conduct of the recent bombing episodes.
“Let me use this occasion to reassure Nigerians and members of the international community that we now have strong leads as to those involved in this terror war on Nigeria and Nigerians.”
He said he had directed security operatives to go after them no matter where they may be hiding.
SSS had released the images of two suspects described as notorious leaders of Boko Haram sect and declared a third wanted, all of whom are said to be the master minds of the blast at the UN House.
Those arrested are Babagana Ismail Kwaljima (a.k.a Abu Summaya) and Babagana Mali (a.k.a Bulama) while one Mamman Nur who was said to have recently returned from Somalia was declared wanted.
President Jonathan warned those who choose to hide “under our new freedom to perpetuate evil against our people shall have no hiding place”.
He added, “As President and Chief Security Officer of the nation, I will employ every means and instrument at my disposal to secure this nation against forces of evil, which seek to divide and sabotage our country.
There shall be no sacred cows in our efforts to expose, contain and defeat this network of terror and its sponsors”.
Jonathan said he had directed a review of Nigeria’s national security structure to lay greater emphasis on intelligence and citizens’ participation in security surveillance.
He said the launch of the new driver’s licence and number plates was a culmination of three years of hard work which started with the discussion he had with the Corps Marshal, Mr. Osita Chidoka in his office then as Vice President on the need to improve the driver’s licence for it to meet international standard.
He said: “It is in this regard that government is pleased that FRSC has delivered and promised to deliver to Nigerians an international drivers’ licence that will meet international standards.”
The new initiative, he said, was meant to alter the culture of recklessness displayed by drivers, their impunity and lack of consideration for other road users.
Chidoka said the overriding objectives of the new driver’s licence and number plates were to restore the integrity of the country’s driver’s licence.
He said: “One of the critical ingredients of this initiative is that we are going to have a credible data base of drivers and vehicles in Nigeria”.
According to him, the significant changes to the new number plates is that numbers are now attached to individuals and not vehicles, adding that Nigerians will now be obligated to get a fresh number plates with the sale of an old vehicle.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has set up a Centre for Terrorism (CT) in the Office of the National Security Adviser to enhance quick and effective response to incidents of terrorism in the country.
The establishment of the Centre, THISDAY learnt, was to activate the Anti-Terrorism Act passed by the National Assembly and make the law useful to the country in the face of its current security challenges.
The centre, according to sources, would serve as a co-ordinating point and a referral institution to the operational structures of the various counter-terrorism agencies in the country.
An expert on counter-terrorism, Dr. Joseph Moneke who x-rayed the current security challenges facing Nigeria has, however, told THISDAY that terrorist groups by their nature run several cells with layers of command such that those who carry out the field operations may not even know the head of the organisation and sponsor of the operation.
He faulted critics of President Jonathan’s administration over their claims that the government has not been doing enough to tackle terrorism, insisting that such opinions were borne out of poor knowledge of the situation and the assumption that terrorist organisations run their affairs in an open manner.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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