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IGP orders nationwide security operation as Senate parleys military chiefs

By Azimazi Momoh Jimoh, Odita Sunday, Adamu Abuh and John Akubo (Abuja)
04 August 2022   |   4:09 am
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, yesterday, directed all Commissioners of Police (CP) to immediately begin special visibility policing operations in their commands.

Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba

• CAS charges Air Force commanders on onslaught against terrorists
• Buhari must go, ADC presidential candidate, Kachikwu, insists
• FEC approves N2.6b for vehicles, others to secure Abuja

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, yesterday, directed all Commissioners of Police (CP) to immediately begin special visibility policing operations in their commands.

He gave the order at an emergency meeting with Assistant Inspectors General, Commissioners of Police and strategic commanders.

He said the meeting was called to re-evaluate strategies for enhancing operational response and stabilising security order.

The IGP noted: “An evaluation of the security situation in the country, in recent times, shows a concerning trend of increase in threat posed by terror elements, bandits, kidnappers, and other highly organise, and violent criminal syndicates.

“You are all directed to immediately commence a special visibility policing operation across your commands. This initiative will encompass the crime mapping of your areas of jurisdiction, identification of vulnerable points and massive deployment of personnel on motorised and foot patrols of the cities. The initiative also involves the utilisation of intelligence to undertake targeted raids on criminal cells.”

This was as Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, charged Nigerian Air Force (NAF) operational commanders in various theatres of operation to “show no mercy” and deploy maximum firepower against terrorists.

Amao said this when he met with frontline Air Officers Commanding (AOC) and Air Component Commanders (ACCs) at the NAF Base in Kaduna, yesterday.

The CAS said “although the security environment remains fluid and uncertain, with terrorists moving between the northeast, northwest and north central, the need to continually modify NAF’s air power strategies to stay ahead of the asymmetric and unconventional nature of terrorists’ activities is of paramount importance.

“We have a responsibility to secure our nation and give our citizens a sense of hope, trust and belonging. Therefore, we must ensure that we stay ahead of the enemy and envisage his next line of action.”

ALSO, the leadership of the Senate met with security chiefs, yesterday, over worsening insecurity in the country.

Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, expressed concern over the matter, saying the President Muhammadu Buhari government has invested in national security more than other administrations.

Lawan, nevertheless, said security agencies have put in their best, even as he urged them to do more.

He lamented that the challenge is already affecting the economy and impeding direct investment.

Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, who spoke on behalf of other service chiefs, said national security must be seen from a collective perspective, even as he commended the Senate leadership for initiating the parley.

He said a lot has been done to improve security nationwide.

The meeting, thereafter, went into closed session.

Also, while delivering the Graduation Lecture for Course 30 of the National Defence College (NDC) in Abuja, yesterday, Irabor further said Defence Headquarters is implementing new strategies to end security challenges.

He added: “We are working on upgrading the intelligence management procedures of the defence and security sector, to strengthen the overall security architecture in the country.”

BUT presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, threw his weight behind moves by a section of the National Assembly to impeach Buhari.

Speaking to reporters in Abuja, during a condolences visit to the residence of ADC’s Board of Trustees Chairman, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, he said Buhari had committed several impeachable offences since coming to power in 2015.

He said: “The President ought to have been impeached seven years ago, in his first year of office. His failure didn’t start today; it started there. All the impeachable offences the National Assembly wants to list now, seven years ago, we should have listed these. There’s nothing different.

“If they are doing it now, it means they have made Nigerians suffer for nothing, thousands dead, tens of thousands displaced, the economy has collapsed, our streets flow with the blood of the innocent, our borders are porous for terrorists.

“Our farms are no longer existent, we now sell human organs as one of our main businesses in Nigeria, kidnapping is on rise. There’s no area you can say this President has done well. Whatever impeachable offence we are talking about now has existed for the last couple of years. Why today? It’s self-serving.

“Before they impeach the President, they ought to impeach the leadership of the National Assembly, which is complicit in the failures of this President. Government is shared responsibilities.

“They ought to impeach them, so that we know those people who helped him to stay this long ought to also leave, so that we have a new era of leadership who can usher us in to the next level.”

IN a related development, Federal Executive Council (FEC), yesterday, approved the purchase of operational vehicles and equipment to boost efforts of security agencies in the nation’s capital.

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Musa Bello, said the approval involved two contracts totaling N2,682,248,378.52.

He said the first, which is for procurement of 60 units of Ford Ranger 4×4 wheel drive vehicles (with communication accessories, including three-year post-sale service) was awarded to Messrs Coscharis Motors Ltd at the sum of N1,835,108,613.95.

The second, which is for purchase of gadgets and accessories to support security agencies in the FCT, was awarded to Messrs E&S Technology Ltd at the sum of N847,139,764.57.

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