A MERICA issued a Boko Haram attack warning, but the Federal Government said security agents are prepared for such challenges.
Should any country have doubts, it should contact the Nigerian authorities, the government said.
The U.S warned its citizens living in Nigeria that Boko Haram is planning attacks in major hotels in Abuja.
“The U.S. Embassy has received information that Boko Haram may be planning attacks in Abuja, Nigeria, including against hotels frequently visited by Westerners.
“The Nigerian government is aware of the threat and is actively implementing security measures.”
The U.S. authorities issued a similar warning in November, naming the Hilton, Sheraton and Nicon Luxury as Abuja hotels that could be targets for Boko Haram, but it later retracted it.
The Federal Government said then that high profile hotels were always a possible target but security was tight and people should not live in fear. However, occupancy at those hotels dipped after the last U.S. warning.
The embassy did not name specific targets this time. The Hilton in Abuja said it always took security seriously.
But the Federal Government expressed concern over the security alarm raised by the U.S.
Information Minister Labaran Maku at the end of yesterday’s Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, cautioned the media against inadvertent support for terrorists and their activities through their reporting.
Maku said there was nothing new in the US warning, noting that it is similar to the one issued about a year ago.
While stating that the Federal Government concedes to every country the duty to ensure the safety of its nationals, the minister, however, said this must be done in such a way that it would not create panic in Nigeria.
Maku said: “I still appeal that if they (foreign governments) have any doubt about the preparedness of our security agencies to tackle insecurity in the country, they should communicate to us.
Maku added: “The media need some time off; it appears to me that we get a lot of panic from sensational reports. We have a responsibility in this country to have some discernment on the time and space we give to anti-state groups.”
Boko Haram’s purported leader, Abubakar Shekau, has appeared in two al Qaeda-style videos posted on the Internet this year but has made only vague threats and no clear demands.
The Senate asked President Goodluck Jonathan to crush the Boko Haram insurgents at all costs.
This followed a unanimous adoption of a motion entitled “Terrorist attack on Kaduna”, sponsored by Senator Sani Saleh (Kaduna Central) and 10 others.
Tension was high amidst emotional outbursts as the motion was being debated.
The lawmakers specifically dwelt on the Easter Sunday blast in Kaduna. More than 40 people died in the attack.
The Senate specifically called on the Executive to recognise that terrorists have declared war on Nigeria, which is a threat to the sovereignty, existence and economic wellbeing of the country.
The lawmakers resolved to ask the Federal Government to “respond (to the development) with all instruments of national power at its disposal”.
They condemned bomb explosions in parts of the country in its entirety and observed a one-minute silence in honour of those who died in the explosions and other attacks across the country.
The Senate mandated its joint committees on National Security, Intelligence, Defence and Army, and Police Affairs and Interior to intensify their oversight functions over the security agencies with a view to improving their capabilities in handling the security challenges.
However, the prayer that the government should compensate to victims of the Kaduna bomb explosion was rejected.
In his lead debate, Senator Saleh urged the Senate to note with deep sense of grief, the dastardly bomb explosion at Junction Road in Kaduna on Easter Sunday, by some suicide bombers.
He noted that the explosion was a stark reminder of last year’s Christmas Day attack that left dozens of people dead in Madalla, Niger State.
He observed that terrorist attacks continued unabated nationwide despite the assurances of our security agencies of “being on top of the situation”.
He said the Easter bomb explosion in Kaduna claimed 13 lives, injured 32 people and destroyed property worth millions of naira, bringing untold hardship on victims, their relatives and residents of the city.
The prayer that the federal government should be asked to recognize that “these terrorists have declared war on Nigeria, which is a threat to our sovereignty, existence and economic wellbeing and to respond with all instruments of national power at its disposal” was unanimously adopted by the lawmakers.
Senator Ahmed Makarfi (Kaduna North) described the bomb blast as sad.
He said: “It is a problem concerning all of us; we should volunteer information to security agencies to be able to arrest the situation. All measures including dialogue, should be used by government to solve the problem,” Makarfi said.
Senator Gyang Dalong Datong (Plateau North) said: “This country is going through a very sad moment because every Nigerian that is killed is either a brother or sister.”
Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi (Ekiti North) noted that the Senate has refused to pass a vote of no confidence on any security outfit.
The poser led to an uproar in the Senate.
Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, said: “Let’s take the matter with the seriousness it deserves. Let us allow our colleague to express his opinion. This is the high point of democracy.”
Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe noted that the country is at war.
Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East) said something must be done about children who are affected psychologically.
Senator Mohammed Magoro said: “What we are facing is a very serious situation.
Lagos not responsible for police’s action, says Solicitor-General
The Lagos State Government has reacted to the dismissal of its application, in which it asked a Lagos High Court to stay action on its judgement in favour of a Nigerien, Mamman Keita, who was in prison custody for over 10 years without trial on allegation of murder.
Solicitor-General, Lawal Pedro (SAN) said the state cannot be held responsible for the action of the Police, a federal agency, over which it does not have control.
Justice Habeeb Abiru had in a judgment delivered on December 16, 2011, ordered the state Attorney-General (AG) to pay a sum of N7 million to a Nigerien, Mamman Keita as compensation for illegal detention in prison for over 10 years without trial.
The judge had held that Keita’s detention without proper arraignment and trial in court was a violation of his fundamental human rights as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution.
He had ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar and Ipaye to tender an apology to the 43-years old ram seller for unjust detention on the allegation of murder.
But the Lagos State Solicitor- General in reaction to the dismissal of its application for a stay of the judgement argued that there was nothing to show that the case file of Mamman Keita was forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution(DPP) for legal advice by the police.
He said that the state government should not have been found liable for the detention of Keita as the matter was not brought to the attention of the state’s Attorney-General.
The statement issued by the Solicitor-General, Mr. Lawal Pedro(SAN) titled: “Suit No. ID/766M/2011: Mamman Keita v. Attorney-General of Lagos State” stated as follows:
“The application that was considered by the Honourable Court today, April 18, 2012 was our application to stay the execution of the judgment delivered by the Court on December 16, 2011.
Ex-Intercontinental Bank MD Alabi arrested
Former Managing Director of Intercontinental Bank, Mamoud Alabi, has been arrested by operatives of the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Millverton, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Alabi is being interrogated over allegations that he wrote off a loan of N9billion and granted N7 billion loan without Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) directive.
He was arrested by operatives on the order of the Commissioner of Police in charge of SFU, Tunde Ogunsakin.
It was gathered that the irregularities were discovered by the management of Access Bank, after it had acquired it.
Sources disclosed that after the discovery, Access Bank management wrote a petition against Alabi to the SFU which later arrested him.
Confirming the arrest, Ogunsakin said Alabi is undergoing interrogation over a petition.
According to him, the new bank that acquired Intercontinental Bank brought a complaint against Alabi.
He said Alabi is helping the police in their investigation.
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