We aren't prepared for bombings says; NSA

Security
agencies are
fighting back to contain the
spate of bombings and
killings.
They are reviewing their
operations and fashioning
new tactics, following the
Boko Haram bombings and
killings.
President Goodluck Jonathan’s
National Security Adviser (NSA)
Gen. Owoye Azazi yesterday
threw the ball back into
Nigerians’ court, saying they
should all join to resolve the
problems.
He warned that “the security
challenges are here to stay;
we don’t think they will go
away overnight”.
Gen. Azazi spoke at the State
House in Abuja after briefing
the National Council of State
meeting on the security
situation.
The NCS meeting was
dominated by the security
challenge facing the nation in
the wake of the series of
bombings, the last one being
the suicide attack on the
United Nations (UN) building
in Abuja on August 26.
Twenty-three people died in
the attack; more than 80
people were injured.
The Boko Haram sect, which
claimed responsibility for the
UN House bombing, also
attacked the Police
Headquarters in Abuja, using
a suicide bomber as well.
Last year when the country
was marking their 50th
anniversary, there was
another bombing in Abuja.
The Boko Haram sect, has
been carrying out other
bombings in other parts of
the North, especially in the
Northeast and Northcentral
zones.
In Plateau State, there have
been religious and ethnic
killings.
The National Council of State is
a statutory body whose
membership comprises of the
President, vice president,
former heads of state,
governors of the 36 states,
former Chief Justices of
Nigeria (CJN), the incumbent
CJN, the Attorney General of
the Federation and the NSA.
President Jonathan presided
at the meeting, which lasted
about six hours.
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,
Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen.
Yakubu Gowon and Gen.
Abdusalami Abubakar
attended.
Former Military President Gen.
Ibrahim Babaginda, former
military Head of State, Gen.
Muhammadu Buhari and
former Head of Interim
National Government, Chief
Earnest Shonekan were
absent.
Gen. Azazi said after the
meeting: “This morning, I was
asked to brief the council on
security issues across the
country. We reviewed what
we believe was the true
situation. There are security
issues all over; problems in
the Niger Delta, crisis in Jos,
kidnapping in parts of the
country, but the focus was on
what was considered topical
at this point. Explosives
everywhere, especially Police
Headquarters, UN building
and although there are claims
as to who was responsible,
the important thing is that we
as a nation should realise that
we are facing challenges that
are relatively new to us.
“The problem is that we were
not as a nation prepared for
this new level of terrorism.
“All over the world, especially
after 9/11 and the July
bombings in London, there
are restricted access to public
facilities but we have not had
that.
“To solve crime, sometimes,
you need a national identity
database; we are trying to put
that together. We are talking
of putting up a strategy on
protection of critical national
infrastructure.
“The security challenges are
here to stay, but we don’t
think they will go away
overnight, the more the public
is aware of their
responsibilities, the better
they could serve the security
services. If we are more
aware, you could pass the
information, but the security
services themselves must also
improve.
“If you have not had a
problem, it is difficult to find a
solution overnight. Even our
attitude towards the public,
performance of our routine
duties. We are discussing
seriously how we want to
meet the aspirations of the
Nigerian public and to assure
you that at some point, it is
always very difficult when you
face these terrorists activities
but, at least, we want to make
sure that the security services
are provided enough
information from which they
can produce intelligence and
to be more proactive and
once you are more proactive,
you can do a lot to stem the
tide.
“Today as we can see, a lot of
work is being done by
security services, but when
investigations are not
complete, it may not be the
proper thing to start to
expose the level of
investigations to the media.
“But, from time to time, we
have tried to engage with the
media either from the services
themselves or myself.
“We agree on the use of
technology and you don’t
acquire those things
overnight. Issues like
registration of SIM card are
properly effected; we talked
about border control, how to
help the Immigration to make
sure that there is proper
border control; we talk of
security in maritime
environment. Those issues
were addressed.”
PLZ COMMENT BELOW ON DIZ TOPIC AND CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO TO SHARE WIT ALL UR FRIENDS!