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BARELY 24 hours and few days to the Christmas and New Year celebrations, the Federal Government has uncovered secret plots by the Islamic extremist group popularly known as Boko Haram to unleash mayhem in some parts of the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

A highly-placed security source who disclosed this to Nigerian Tribune in Abuja on Sunday mentioned the targeted states to include Borno, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Niger and Abuja.

The source further revealed that available security reports nationwide indicated that the coordinated attacks scheduled to kick off today (Xmas eve) would be targeted at churches, worship centres, recreational centres, hotels, military and paramilitary, police and telecommunications installations, among others.

It was gathered that following this development and its determination to checkmate the activities of the defiant group before, during and after the Yuletide, the Federal Government had placed all its security agencies on red alert while military personnel from the various military formations across the states of the federation and the FCT, Abuja have been deployed in the perceived black spots as back-ups to the existing Special Security Task Forces on the ground in order to ensure maximum security in such areas and the country in general.

In addition, the source said that some notable politicians, individuals and religious groups have been placed under strict security surveillance for effective monitoring of their activities as well as their movements as part of efforts at thwarting the group’s plot.

The source further hinted that the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President is coordinating the special security arrangements while the heads of the various security agencies have been mandated to ensure total security within their areas of jurisdictions, with strict warning that any noticed security lapses in any part of the country would be visited with severe sanctions in accordance with the rules and regulations of the affected service and the law of the land.

The Nigerian Tribune learnt authoritatively that following this development, most of the security agencies and para-military agencies have placed total embargo on annual leaves for their personnel, while those who had already proceeded on their annual leaves have been directed to report at their duty posts with immediate effect for further directives.

Findings also revealed that in line with the directive of the Federal Government, security has been stepped up in the nation’s sea, air and border ports as well as the highways nationwide while proper checking and random checks were carried out on individuals, vehicles, aircraft, vessels, ships and luggage for security reasons.

It was gathered that the various security check-points mounted on the nation’s highways and around other public installations in the wake of the Boko Haram activities nationwide by the army personnel have been strengthened for effective operations, while the police have embarked on 24 hours patrol of the highways with regular, mobile and anti-terrorism personnel under the watchful eyes of the Inspector-General of Police, to ensure adequate security on the highways.

In addition to all these security arrangements, a source at the Department of State Security (DSS), told the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday that the Service had deployed more operatives and personnel in the field for intelligence gathering and that all hands were on deck to safeguard the security of the country before, during and after the Yuletide while both the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have deployed virtually all their personnel out for the special assignment.

A very senior officer in one of the security agencies who spoke with our reporter in Abuja on Sunday, confirmed the fresh plot to unleash mayhem in some parts of the country during the Yuletide by a group believed to be Boko Haram sect but assured that there was no cause for alarm as the Federal Government had already mobilised all its security agencies to be on red alert for easy mobilization in case the group makes good their threat.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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BARELY 24 hours and few days to the Christmas and New Year celebrations, the Federal Government has uncovered secret plots by the Islamic extremist group popularly known as Boko Haram to unleash mayhem in some parts of the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

A highly-placed security source who disclosed this to Nigerian Tribune in Abuja on Sunday mentioned the targeted states to include Borno, Plateau, Kano, Kaduna, Kogi, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, Niger and Abuja.

The source further revealed that available security reports nationwide indicated that the coordinated attacks scheduled to kick off today (Xmas eve) would be targeted at churches, worship centres, recreational centres, hotels, military and paramilitary, police and telecommunications installations, among others.

It was gathered that following this development and its determination to checkmate the activities of the defiant group before, during and after the Yuletide, the Federal Government had placed all its security agencies on red alert while military personnel from the various military formations across the states of the federation and the FCT, Abuja have been deployed in the perceived black spots as back-ups to the existing Special Security Task Forces on the ground in order to ensure maximum security in such areas and the country in general.

In addition, the source said that some notable politicians, individuals and religious groups have been placed under strict security surveillance for effective monitoring of their activities as well as their movements as part of efforts at thwarting the group’s plot.

The source further hinted that the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President is coordinating the special security arrangements while the heads of the various security agencies have been mandated to ensure total security within their areas of jurisdictions, with strict warning that any noticed security lapses in any part of the country would be visited with severe sanctions in accordance with the rules and regulations of the affected service and the law of the land.

The Nigerian Tribune learnt authoritatively that following this development, most of the security agencies and para-military agencies have placed total embargo on annual leaves for their personnel, while those who had already proceeded on their annual leaves have been directed to report at their duty posts with immediate effect for further directives.

Findings also revealed that in line with the directive of the Federal Government, security has been stepped up in the nation’s sea, air and border ports as well as the highways nationwide while proper checking and random checks were carried out on individuals, vehicles, aircraft, vessels, ships and luggage for security reasons.

It was gathered that the various security check-points mounted on the nation’s highways and around other public installations in the wake of the Boko Haram activities nationwide by the army personnel have been strengthened for effective operations, while the police have embarked on 24 hours patrol of the highways with regular, mobile and anti-terrorism personnel under the watchful eyes of the Inspector-General of Police, to ensure adequate security on the highways.

In addition to all these security arrangements, a source at the Department of State Security (DSS), told the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday that the Service had deployed more operatives and personnel in the field for intelligence gathering and that all hands were on deck to safeguard the security of the country before, during and after the Yuletide while both the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), have deployed virtually all their personnel out for the special assignment.

A very senior officer in one of the security agencies who spoke with our reporter in Abuja on Sunday, confirmed the fresh plot to unleash mayhem in some parts of the country during the Yuletide by a group believed to be Boko Haram sect but assured that there was no cause for alarm as the Federal Government had already mobilised all its security agencies to be on red alert for easy mobilization in case the group makes good their threat.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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The authorities should repeal Order 237, which is more or less Police licence to kill

When the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), spoke recently at a national dialogue on “torture, extra-judicial killings and national security”, marking this year’s International Human Rights Day, the nation’s chief law officer only confirmed what before now was an open secret. According to the AGF, over the past four years, no fewer than 7,195 persons had died in the hands of the Police out of which 2,500 were detainees.

In the words of Adoke, “although these figures have been stoutly disputed by the police, even the most charitable defenders of the force cannot deny that some dishonourable officers indeed have taken the law into their hands in the most barbaric fashion by killing suspects and innocent citizens.” The AGF added that this unusual number of extra-judicial killings must be connected to the continued existence of the controversial “Police Force Order 237”.

Unfortunately, there is nothing new in Adoke’s admission. For instance, about this time last year, the same figure of 7,195 over the same period of four years now being bandied by the AGF, were cited in a report issued by the Centre for Victims of Extra-Judicial Killings and Torture (CVEKT). That report was based on the findings of the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), according to the Director of CVEKT, Rev. Fr. Tony Amarube, who first alerted the nation to the gruesome murders being committed under the cover of the notorious Order 237.

The archaic colonial Order 237 authorises a Police officer “to shoot any suspect and detainee trying to escape or avoid arrest”. Thus, hiding behind this controversial order, some unscrupulous policemen are known to have carried out extra-judicial murder with little or no regard for human dignity and sanctity of life. Armed robbers and murder suspects, indeed every suspect unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of these trigger-happy policemen may not make it to the next day.

Although somewhat belated, we nevertheless commend Adoke for his willingness to admit that “the rule of law has taken flight in the society which condones a situation where citizens take the law into their hands and summarily try and execute suspected felons.” We must, however, express caution about the AGF decision to take over from the police the power to prosecute criminal cases, due to what he called, “the apparent slow pace of the criminal justice system, particularly the corruption that permeates the system”. Although he lamented that most prosecutions are now slowed by tardiness and ceaseless adjournments, we still believe that there is more wisdom in strengthening the police to do their job.

In any case, while there are bad eggs within the Force, there are also many upright and diligent officers who perform their duties, even in the face of daunting odds. They need to be encouraged. But the Inspector General of Police must also show seriousness in ridding the ranks of trigger-happy men whose actions have seriously impaired the image of the Force. The  practice of pronouncing dead armed robbery suspects after they have been paraded at press conferences by commissioners of police should cease forthwith. In line with the provisions of the Constitution every person suspected to have committed any criminal offence should be charged before courts of competent jurisdiction.

All said, it is not enough for the AGF to lament publicly about extra-judicial killings; it is his duty to work with all stakeholders to ensure that the rule of law is enthroned in our country. It is also his duty to ensure that laws that impinge on the human rights of citizens, like Police Order 237, don’t remain in the statutes of any government institutions. Talk is cheap, action is what Nigerians demand of the AGF.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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The authorities should repeal Order 237, which is more or less Police licence to kill

When the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), spoke recently at a national dialogue on “torture, extra-judicial killings and national security”, marking this year’s International Human Rights Day, the nation’s chief law officer only confirmed what before now was an open secret. According to the AGF, over the past four years, no fewer than 7,195 persons had died in the hands of the Police out of which 2,500 were detainees.

In the words of Adoke, “although these figures have been stoutly disputed by the police, even the most charitable defenders of the force cannot deny that some dishonourable officers indeed have taken the law into their hands in the most barbaric fashion by killing suspects and innocent citizens.” The AGF added that this unusual number of extra-judicial killings must be connected to the continued existence of the controversial “Police Force Order 237”.

Unfortunately, there is nothing new in Adoke’s admission. For instance, about this time last year, the same figure of 7,195 over the same period of four years now being bandied by the AGF, were cited in a report issued by the Centre for Victims of Extra-Judicial Killings and Torture (CVEKT). That report was based on the findings of the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), according to the Director of CVEKT, Rev. Fr. Tony Amarube, who first alerted the nation to the gruesome murders being committed under the cover of the notorious Order 237.

The archaic colonial Order 237 authorises a Police officer “to shoot any suspect and detainee trying to escape or avoid arrest”. Thus, hiding behind this controversial order, some unscrupulous policemen are known to have carried out extra-judicial murder with little or no regard for human dignity and sanctity of life. Armed robbers and murder suspects, indeed every suspect unfortunate enough to fall into the hands of these trigger-happy policemen may not make it to the next day.

Although somewhat belated, we nevertheless commend Adoke for his willingness to admit that “the rule of law has taken flight in the society which condones a situation where citizens take the law into their hands and summarily try and execute suspected felons.” We must, however, express caution about the AGF decision to take over from the police the power to prosecute criminal cases, due to what he called, “the apparent slow pace of the criminal justice system, particularly the corruption that permeates the system”. Although he lamented that most prosecutions are now slowed by tardiness and ceaseless adjournments, we still believe that there is more wisdom in strengthening the police to do their job.

In any case, while there are bad eggs within the Force, there are also many upright and diligent officers who perform their duties, even in the face of daunting odds. They need to be encouraged. But the Inspector General of Police must also show seriousness in ridding the ranks of trigger-happy men whose actions have seriously impaired the image of the Force. The  practice of pronouncing dead armed robbery suspects after they have been paraded at press conferences by commissioners of police should cease forthwith. In line with the provisions of the Constitution every person suspected to have committed any criminal offence should be charged before courts of competent jurisdiction.

All said, it is not enough for the AGF to lament publicly about extra-judicial killings; it is his duty to work with all stakeholders to ensure that the rule of law is enthroned in our country. It is also his duty to ensure that laws that impinge on the human rights of citizens, like Police Order 237, don’t remain in the statutes of any government institutions. Talk is cheap, action is what Nigerians demand of the AGF.

About Post Author

Anthony-Claret Ifeanyi Onwutalobi

Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.

ionyclaret@gmail.com

https://www.codewit.com

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