FG dismisses U.S. insecurity alert in Abuja, says alarm needless hype – Newstrends
Connect with us

metro

FG dismisses U.S. insecurity alert in Abuja, says alarm needless hype

Published

on

National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd)

Federal Government, yesterday, downplayed fear instigated by the United States’ (U.S.) recent security alert on Nigeria, especially Abuja, saying citizens are not in any form of danger.

National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), disclosed this to newsmen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, following an emergency National Security Council meeting at the behest of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Monguno was joined by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema; Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor, and Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.

The NSA said the panic, which trailed the U.S. terror alert addressed to its citizens in Nigeria, was needless. He maintained that the hype and the sense of insecurity it created were unfounded and unnecessary, urging citizens and other residents to go about their businesses without entertaining any apprehension.

He added that the Nigerian military and other security and intelligence agencies were up to the task in their duty to ensure all Nigerians and every part of the country were safe.

READ ALSO:

Monguno said: “I will like to, first and foremost, assure all the citizens of this country that any exaggerated sense of insecurity, any hype about the disintegration of our security forces, intelligence agencies, is unfounded. I want to assure Nigerians that, so far, the situation has been under control; the intelligence and security agencies have made a lot of arrests.

“They’re evaluating; they’re exploiting all the materials in their possession. We’re not in the habit of disclosing whatever has been done, but the most important thing is that from the time this story started emerging, until now, about a week to 10 days, you can see that, so far, the situation has been brought under control.

“The issue of Nigerians being made to panic is unnecessary. The situation in various areas of the Federal Capital Territory has been brought under control, and we’re trying, as much as possible, to work with our neighbours and, within the domestic situation, to work with our foreign partners in a responsible way, without giving the impression that Nigeria is skating on thin ice and we’re about to implode.”

“I’ll want to dispel any illusion about any heightened sense of insecurity. It is false; it is irresponsible for anybody to give that signal.”

Also speaking, Irabor shed light on the attempted terrorist attack on Wawa Cantonment in Niger State.

He said: “Perhaps, to use this opportunity to mention that; I’m sure some of you may have seen in the media, or among you, that on the night of October 29, 2002, Wawa Cantonment in Niger State was attacked.

“Of course, the alertness of the troops led to neutralisation of the attackers and vehicles that were laden with improvised explosive devices and other items were impounded, and five of those attackers were equally arrested.”

He added: “(It’s) just to use that to let you know of the level of alertness of members of the armed forces, the police and other security agencies.”

Others at the emergency meeting included: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari; Minister of Defense, Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd); Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi.

Guardian

metro

Ramadan ends in Nigeria, Sultan announces March 30 as Eid-el-Fitr

Published

on

Ramadan ends in Nigeria, Sultan announces March 30 as Eid-el-Fitr

 

Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar Sa’ad, says the crescent moon marking the end of Ramadan fasting has been sighted.

The Sultan, who is president of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSIA), said in a broadcast on Saturday night, “Today marks the end of the Ramadan fasting and Sunday, March 30, is the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.”

Continue Reading

metro

Embrace environmental sanitation during Eid-Fitr, LAGESC boss tells Lagosians

Published

on

Embrace environmental sanitation during Eid-Fitr, LAGESC boss tells Lagosians

By Dada Jackson

The Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) has urged Lagosians to embrace proper environmental practices and obey the state’s environmental laws ahead of the Eid-l-Fitr festivities to mark the end of the Ramadan fast by Muslim faithful around the world.

Corps Marshal of the agency, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (retd), sounded the call at the agency’s command headquarters at Bolade-Oshodi.

He said, ‘‘The Ramadan fast is a testament to the willingness of Muslim faithful to adhere to the pillars of their faith and it is enjoined that cleanliness is an important religious practice in all faiths, which is why we admonish Lagosians to imbibe proper waste disposal and keep their environment clean during the celebration.”

Cole also advised Lagosians to make proper use of pedestrian bridges for their safety instead of crossing highways to prevent ‘hit and run’ cases by speeding motorists.

He equally read a riot act to miscreants in the habit of converting pedestrian bridges to sleeping areas which deters Lagosians in transit, pedestrians vowing that anyone caught w be made to face the state Environmental laws as amended

The KAI boss also revealed that the agency had recorded giant strides and would not relent in ridding pedestrian bridges across Lagos of criminal obstructions, traders and hawkers with daily arrests made alongside secured prosecutions by the Courts.

The Corps Marshal also warned Lagosians to desist from street trading, use of Styrofoam pack, hawking in traffic, patronage of cart pushers for refuse disposal, and erection of illegal structures on laybys, setbacks, medians, road verges, kerbs or around public schools in the state.

The KAI head said offenders would be made to face the consequences via prosecution in a competent court of appropriate jurisdiction.

Continue Reading

metro

Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months

Published

on

Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months

A Magistrates’ Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday sentenced a mother, Falilatu Amidu, and her daughter, Ayisatu, to six months imprisonment each for stealing dry ponmo, stock fish and dried meat valued N1 million

The defendants, who reside at No 21 Ago-Oko area of Abeokuta, were convicted on a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

The Magistrate, Mrs O.O. Odumosu, held that the evidence presented by the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the convicts were guilty of the offence as charged.

Odumosu sentenced both mother and daughter to six months in prison each with an option of N5,000 fine.

She ordered that the convicts should refund N100,000 each to the complainant as restitution before accessing the N5,000 fine option.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Insp. Kehinde Fawunmi, had told the court that the defendants committed the offence at Lafenwa market sometime in August 2024.

Fawunmi explained that Falilatu conspired with her daughter, Ayisatu, to steal a big sack  containing stock fish, dried ponmo and dried cow meat valued N1million, belonging to one Mrs kafayat Alao.

According to him, one of the defendants, Falilatu, used to help the complainant to carry load from her store in Lafenwa to where the complainant sells her items.

READ ALSO:

“The complainant asked her to help her pick some goods from the store. She waited for over an hour and did not see the defendant, which made her to go to the store to check on her.

“On getting to the store, she did not find Falilatu, and she noticed a big bag containing dried meat, ponmo and stock fish was missing while the defendant was nowhere to be found,” he said.

Fawunmi further explained that Falilatu stole the goods and gave it to her daughter (Ayisatu) to sell. He said Ayisatu received the goods from her mother, knowing that they were stolen.

The prosecutor noted that the offence committed contravened sections 516, 390(9) and 127 of the Criminal Code Laws of Ogun 2006.

Mother, daughter who stole ponmo, stock fish in Ogun jailed six months

Continue Reading

Trending