Jonathan summons service chiefs to emergency meeting

Goodluck Jonathan

Jonathan summons service chiefs to emergency meeting

Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday summoned service chiefs and other heads of security agencies to an emergency meeting at the State House, Abuja to discuss the current security situation.

Emerging from the meeting which lasted for more than four hours, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Oluseyi Petinrin, told reporters that key decisions were taken.

Fighting terrorism

“The meeting has to do with the security situation and the President has taken very decisive decisions and I am sure you will hear about it,’’ he said.

The Inspector-General of the Nigerian Police Force, Hafiz Ringim, said they were summoned by the president and the meeting reviewed the current security challenges and the way forward.

Ringim said the security agencies, just like every other Nigerian, were worried about the spate of terrorism in the country.

In his words, “I assure you that terrorism is not an easy matter at all.
“Terrorism is everywhere all over the world, particularly here in this country as you are aware it is a very new phenomenon here.
“We have not had this kind of thing before and we are just having it now; so we are all scrambling to find our feet and face it squarely, which is what we are doing.’’

Ringim said that security agencies had made a lot of gains in combating the menace and called for the co-operation of every Nigerian to join in the fight against terrorism.

“We are prepared more than ever before and I want to assure you this.
“If we had not done what we did in Yobe; if we had not done what we did in Kaduna and indeed if the Nigerian Police Force had not done what we did in Kano, the recovery of the primed-up suicide bombing vehicles, the story would have been a different thing.
“l  assure the members of the public that the Nigerian Police Force and indeed all other security agencies are now ready more than ever before to face the challenges,’’ Ringim said.

Ringim said security agencies had made hundreds of arrests, but would need the co-operation of members of the public to get to the leaders and sponsors of the terrorist groups.

He appealed against possible reprisal attacks noting that it was only by collective efforts by Christians, Muslims, traditional rulers and every other member of the society that the scourge could be tackled.

Others at the meeting were, Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Ola Ibrahim; Chief of Air Staff: Air Marshal Mohammed Umar; and the Director-General, State Security Service, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong.

Also in attendance were the National Security Adviser, retired Gen. Andrew Azazi and the Minister of Police Affairs, retired Capt. Caleb Olukolade.

NAN/Williams