Insecurity: End selective abductions, killings now, Buhari orders service chiefs

 

.’Find tactics to deal with security challenge’

. Terrorists in  Zamfara are being clothed as bandits -Akeredolu

 

Sunday Ode, Abuja

 

President Muhammadu Buhari has  charged heads of security agencies to end what he described as  selective abductions and killings, particularly in the north central and north west of the country.

 

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja made the President’s position known after a security meeting with him.

 

The police boss said: “Yes, we had a brief security meeting. Service chiefs and the intelligence chiefs have been able to brief the President on the security situation of the country.

 

“The President has also observed and made a remark that the constitutional responsibility of government is the provision of security, is one and is foremost and he is ready to provide such.

 

“We should reinvigorate our efforts, which are yielding results in the northeast, southeast, but there is more to be done in the nrorthcentral, northwest, where people are worried and he has intelligence and information that schoolchildren and students are abducted, selective abductions and killings are done. This narrative must change.

 

“We have assured him and promised him that we’ll make efforts to do more. He also thanked and praised us for what has been done so far, that we should improve much so that people can go about their lawful businesses within the quickest possible means.”

 

According to him, the President also reiterated his marching orders to the security chiefs saying, “The new marching order is that all the service chiefs and intelligence chiefs have been warned to go and reinvigorate efforts and to do more so that the north central and Nigeria at large should enjoy better security.”

 

Also fielding questions, Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi (retd) expressed  government’s concerns over the unfolding insecurity in Zamfara State and the North Central, just as he assured of the military’s determination to change the narrative.

 

“We believe that the rate at which these things are happening in Zamfara State and North central is a source of concern to the government and to all agencies that are responsible for the execution of the operations in the North Central.

 

“We discussed the need for urgency in our dealing with the bandits. We believe they’re becoming a nuisance; killing people, they are doing what they like, they make careless statements, they say what they think they should say in order to solicit the kind of audience they want from the society.”

 

Magashi said the meeting also  appraised the developments generally, which, according to him, required all hands to be on deck with a view to halting the menace.

 

“We have appraised our position, we’ve found that we are capable, we can do this thing, but we need the cooperation of every Nigerian in order to ensure a free society,” he said.

 

“We’ll do our best to ensure the mission is successful and we’ll do all we can to ensure the completion of this mission, especially when equipment and other things are available to support the course of our tactical manoeuvres and that we’ll do very well from now,” the Minister added.

 

On the status of the Super Tocano jets recently procured to enhance military operations in the country, Magashi said:

“We are just testing them, six are still coming by the end of… maybe next week. So, when the twelve of them are here, I think the Chief of Air Staff will brief you on the operations that they are to undertake as soon as possible.”

.Terrorists in  Zamfara are being clothed as bandits -Akeredolu

 

Ondo state governor Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu has stressed the need to make the country livable for the people so as to harness their talents for national growth.

 

He said in order to achieve Nigeria’s goals for Science and Technological advancement, the country must be made conducive for living, particularly for the young ones.

 

Akeredolu, who stressed that the people are living in fear, noted that something must be done urgently to address the situation and restore hope to the minds of the people.

 

“Look at what is happening in Zamfara. They try to clothe it and call them bandits. They are terrorists. So, the growth in science cannot be based on just your charge but the conducive environment in the country,” he said.

 

The governor spoke on Tuesday while receiving members of the Governing Board of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) led by the Chairman, Ambassador Dr. Godknows Boladie Igali, and the Vice Chancellor, Professor Joseph Adeola Fuwape, at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office, Alagbaka, Akure.

 

 

Speaking on the growth of Science and Technology in the country, Akeredolu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said: “For us in science and technology, we need to do more. Japanese, Chinese and other developed countries send people to where science is the best. We have heard of countries that send their people to the USA to train on Science and Technology.

 

“They didn’t stay there. They went back to their country to develop it. Commitment to one’s country is key. But we need to make this country a livable place so that the young ones will be confident and have hope to live in this country.”

 

He stressed the need for the country to embrace modern ways of animal husbandry, describing open grazing as old and now illegal in the state.

 

He said: “Today, I can say there are modern ways of animal husbandry and we have to take the bull by the horns. We are not afraid to take decisions. Modernity has taught us that you can extract more milk from cows in a modern way better than when you take them from one place to another. It is about science. People have developed that science.

 

“I’m happy when I see Mr President go to Katsina and visit his cows. They are well kept. Technology of animal husbandry, we must embrace it.”

 

Akeredolu described FUTA as one of the leading Universities in the country, particularly in terms of research.

 

“We take pride in FUTA and its achievements over time. And I have had serious connections with FUTA not only as a Governor. We have strong relationship with FUTA. FUTA, for us, is one of the leading universities of technology in Nigeria if not the leading. One of our lecturers won the best researcher award in the country. I congratulate you,” Akeredolu said.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the institution, Ambassador Godknows Boladie Igali, lauded the strides of Akeredolu, adding that the state is poised to get to the top place in the country.

 

“Seeing the transformation, especially the urban renewal, it is tremendous. Your focus on education, we know what you are doing on Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa (OAUSTECH).

“Since you assumed office, you have done a lot and you have shown yourself to be a friend of the university. You helped us established the tech hub. You have helped the University in terms of some external works.

 

“Thank you for all the efforts that were put in to get the approval for the medical college. We will be able to get serious research into the medical science,” he said.

 

He reiterated the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to the growth of Science and Technology in the country.