Apparently irked by security threats that trailed his absence while undergoing medical vacation in London, President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, ordered the military and police personnel to clampdown on individuals of groups formenting trouble in the country.
He was also specific on the agitations of the Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) directing the security chiefs to also quell such agitations.
The menance of kidnappings,oil bunkering and bombings occasioned by the Boko Haram sect and hate speeches which rented the air recently also came under discussion at the security council meeting which lasted for over three hours at the Presidential Villa.
Buhari first took briefs from each of the service chiefs before instructing them on what to do.
He said they must look inward and review their security strategies to bring an end to all forms of crimes bedeviling the country.
In the absence of the President,the country had witnessed a resurgence of crimes and other forms of criminality in the country.
In the north central,herdsmen made life unbearable for the people, on daily basis, citizens woke up to contend with killings from gun carrying herdsmen, prompting fear for most farming communities.
Despite the deal brokered by the Federal Government which culminated in the release of 82 school girls abducted by the Boko Haram in Borno State in 2014, the sect still intensified bombings in the region using teenagers to bomb soft targets.
The development became worrisome prompting the then Acting President,Yemi Osinbajo to order the relocation of the service chiefs to the north east.
Also in the south east, the release of the IPOB leader,Nnandi Kanu from detention prompted renewed agitations in the region.
While Buhari was away, youths on the guise of Arewa Consultative Forum gave all Igbos living in the north an October 1st deadline to leave their territory.
The security meeting which marks the first major assignment of the President since his return from London had in attendance Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd),National Security Adviser, Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin,Chief of Defence Staff,Major-General Tukur Buratai Chief of Army Staff,Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar,Chief of Air Staff,Inspector General of Police,Ibrahim Idris among others.
President Buhari was said to have instructed the service chiefs to keep the country united in line with his public broadcast to Nigerians on Monday.
“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.
“We have just updated him because he is aware of what’s been happening. He has been receiving regular briefings from the then Acting President and he has also been going through the print media and electronic media to follow the happenings in the country.
“After the meeting, he has directed on some areas we should look at so as to enhance our operations in the country. Recall that in his address, he talked about the unity of the nation which is non-negotiable.
“We have all been fully instructed to ensure that directive is carried out to the letter,”Olonishakin,Chief of Defence Staff told State House correspondents after the meeting.
Asked if the President issued a directive on the IPOB’s secret service, he said yes all issues of security, every security threat, all were treated one after the other ranging from terrorism to kidnapping, herdsmen/farmers clash, to IPOB issue were all treated. Comments were made as to what to do as regards those issues.
Asked also if there was an intention to mobilize forces to the southeast, he said,” every security issues,like I said have been treated and we are going to enhance our operations in all the areas we need to do that. He has given the necessary directives which will be carried out by the military and the security agencies”.
On assurances given to the President to deliver on the mandate, he said,”the President also directed that we must ensure that the life and property 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.
“The Boko Haram issue, you all know is an asymmetric warfare. Its not that the Boko Haram have stepped up their game, is just the issue of suicide bombing that has been the problem and of course we are also working with the security agencies and the intelligence agencies to make sure that we address that menace”.
