The Federal Government today warned residents of Abuja about
a possible attack by the Boko Haram Islamic sect which has declared was on the
country.
This was revealed today by Mike Omeri, the Coordinator of
the National Information Centre, and Director General of the National
Orientation Agency during a media briefing in Abuja.
Omeri was giving an update in the status of the government’s
fight against insurgency and the rescue of over 230 schoolgirls kidnapped from
the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014.
According to Omeri, the insurgents plan to hijack fully
loaded petrol tankers from their drivers, plant explosives in them and move the
vehicles to destinations where they are expected to cause extensive destruction
of lives and property.
“The Nigerian security services have received intelligence
report to the effect that insurgents intend seizing petrol tankers and plant
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the tankers and drive them to crowded
places in Abuja,” Omeri said.
Omeri urged members of Petrol Tankers Association to be
on red alert and advised them to report any attempt or seizure of their
vehicles to the security agencies Members of the public
are also advised to report any broken down tanker in any part of the territory
to security agencies.
“We are using this opportunity to appeal to the public to
be on the alert, particularly when they see any tanker driving dangerously,” he
said.
The spokesman for the Department of State Services, Ms
Marilyn Ogar, who is also a member of the information committee, reacted to the
suspected insurgents who were arrested in Abia State, saying they were actually
491 in number, including five infants and five women.
Omeri, who also commented on the suspects, describing
them as travellers, said the arrest was not targeted at any group of persons or
individuals.
He revealed that during interrogation of the suspects, a
notorious insurgent who had been profiled by the DSS since 2007 and had been on
the agency’s watch-list was identified.
“This led to further questioning of the large movement of
persons travelling in a convoy of over 30 buses with none of them having up to
N1,000 on them,” he said.
Reacting to Tuesday’s suicide bombing in a football
viewing centre in Yobe State, Omeri explained that the attack left 10 persons
dead and 30 others injured.
He called on state governors to emulate the Adamawa state
governor to place a ban on football viewing centres.
Also, Omeri revealed that two girls were that kidnapped
in Abuja last week have been released, while the abductors are presently with
the security agencies for further investigation.
He debunked media report that security agents arrested
some persons in Ekiti State thumb-printing ahead of the Saturday election.
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