President Muhammadu
Buhari, yesterday, directed service chiefs and heads of security operatives to
arrest all security threats against the unity of the country.
The marching order came after a closed-door meeting
the service chiefs and other security agencies had with the President at the
Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Briefing State House correspondents after the
meeting which lasted over three hours, Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General
Gabriel Olonishakin, said the directive was to promote the unity of the country
and protect lives and property of the citizenry.
He said the security chiefs were told to enhance
their operations and ensure that troops carried out their assignments effectively.
He said: “We have been meeting with Mr. President
for the last three hours. All we have done is to update him on all security
issues around the country, within the country and outside the country where our
troops are.
“Of course, we have just updated him because he is
aware of what’s been happening. He has been receiving regular briefings from
the Acting President and he has also been going through the print and
electronic media to follow the happenings within the country.
“After the meeting, he gave directives on some
areas we should look at so as to enhance our operations in the country.
“In his address, he talked about the unity of the
nation which is non-negotiable and all the military have been fully instructed
to ensure that that directive is carried out to the letter.”
On whether there was a directive from President
Buhari on alleged composition of secret service by the Indigenous People of
Biafra, IPOB, he said: “The issues of
security, every security threat, all security threats were treated one after
the other — ranging from terrorism to kidnapping, herdsmen/farmers clash, to
the IPOB issue, all were treated. Comments were made as to what to do as
regards those issues.”
Asked whether the military was mobilizing forces to
the South-East as a result of IPOB’s continuous agitation for
self-determination of State of Biafra, Olonishakin said: “Every security
(issue), like I said, has been treated and we are going to enhance our
operations in all the areas we need to do that.
“Like I
said, he has given the necessary directives which will be carried out by the
military and the security agencies.”
On the assurance the service chiefs gave to the
President on his directive, the Defence chief said: “The assurance is that he
also directed that we must ensure that the lives and properties of the citizens
are protected and we must make sure that we secure the whole nation and also
that troops that are outside carry out their jobs effectively.”
On the renewed onslaught of the Boko Haram in the
North East, he said: “On the Boko Haram
issue, you all know it is asymmetric warfare. It is not that the Boko Haram has
stepped up their game, it is just the issue of suicide bombing that has been
the problem.
“Of course, we are also working with intelligence
agencies to make sure that we address that menace.”
Reacting, pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation,
Afenifere, said the President’s order was a wrong approach.
Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka
Odumakin, who spoke for the group, said:
“I do not think the President should deal with Boko Haram and IPOB in
the same breath. Boko Haram and IPOB are not the same.
“While Boko Haram is a terrorist organization that
goes about bombing people and places, IPOB is an open organization. What IPOB
has done is to call for a sit-at-home but Boko Haram is a terrorist group,
except you want IPOB to go underground like Boko Haram.
“It is a wrong approach. You cannot treat Boko
Haram and an open organization like IPOB in the same manner.”
In its reaction, Eastern Consultative Assembly,
ECA, through its Secretary, Evangelist Elliot Ugochuchukwu-Uko, said: “We are not surprised; it is part of the
hatred. He can lump IPOB together with ISIS. We even expect him to change the
name of Enugu to Islamabad.
“We are asking that Nigeria be restructured. Those killed
before were not armed and did not commit any known offence.
“What we are saying is that Nigeria must be
restructured, nothing more and nothing less. It is part of Buhari’s hatred for
Ndigbo but we are resolute that Nigeria must be restructured. IPOB is not a
terrorist organization and we are not surprised with this horrifying decision.
Also, the Igbo Leaders of Thought, ILT, said it
would rather watch than comment on the explosive situation.
The secretary, Professor Elochukwu Amucheazi, said:
“We won’t talk now; let’s watch the development. Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 in
Bible tells us that there is time for everything. It says that to everything,
there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven…”
Also reacting, the leadership of the Indigenous
People of Biafra, IPOB, in Ebonyi State, said the President’s order was
divisive and did not address issues necessary for national unity and
development.
In a statement in Abakaliki, the Deputy Coordinator
of IPOB in Ebonyi State, Mr. Ugochukwu Nweke, said: “What IPOB is doing is
legal and we are not afraid. The President should address Boko Haram in the
North-East, the unfortunate quit notice by the Arewa youths, how to boost the
economy and the welfare of citizens in Nigeria.
He doesn’t have the right to threaten IPOB or any group.”
News
Source: - Vanguard | August 23, 2017.
Photo Source: - Follow Press | June 10, 2017.
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