SECURITY ALERT WITH JIDE

FBI agents to join probe team

The United States has dispatched Federal Bureau of Investigation agents to Nigeria to help security agents probe the deadly bombings at the Modagishu Barracks in Abuja on New Year’s Eve.

Homeland Security Secretary, Ms Janet Napolitano, who made this known to Fox News on Sunday in Qatar, did not give the number of the FBI agents.

The Homeland Security Secretary explained that there was no evidence at the moment to suggest that there was any link between the Abuja blasts and “anything in the United States.”

According to her, what the US had decided to do in the case of Nigeria ”is not all that uncommon.”

The FBI is often asked to help with such investigations due to its expertise in evidence collection.

It was also learnt on Sunday that the US embassy in Nigeria had directed some of its specialist personnel to assist law enforcement agencies in their investigations.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Olusola Amore, told one of our correspondents on Sunday that the American personnel had met with investigators probing the blasts.

He explained that the men would offer technical support to their Nigerian counterparts.

President Barack Obama had while condemning the Abuja blasts and a similar one in Alexandria, Egypt, offered to assist Nigeria in investigating the incidents.

He described the bombings as ‘outrageous terrorist attacks’ by people with ‘bankrupt vision.’

“Killing innocent civilians who were simply gathering like so many people around the world to celebrate the beginning of a New Year further demonstrates the bankrupt vision of those who carry out these attacks,” Obama said.

Also on Sunday, the United Kingdom and Canada flayed the bombings and challenged the Federal Government to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.

The UK, in a statement by its Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister, Jeremy Browne, described the attacks as shocking and saddening.

The statement, which was signed by the Press Secretary, British High Commission, Hooman Nauruzi, reads, “Following the earlier incidents in Jos and Maiduguri over the Christmas period, I am shocked and saddened to learn of the bomb attack in Abuja on New Year’s Eve.

“I condemn this incident and the loss of innocent lives and send the UK’s condolences to the victims and their families. Every effort should be made to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Canada also reacted to the bombings and offered to assist Nigeria in the improvement of its security apparati and sustainance of its democracy.

In a statement by its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lawrence Cannon, Canada described the Christmas Eve bombings in Jos and Maiduguri as well as the New Year’ Eve blasts in Abuja as acts of terror.

It noted that the cowardly and despicable acts were aimed at denying Nigerians, the right to safety and peace.

The statement reads, “Canada strongly condemns the terrorist bombings in Nigeria on December 24 and 31.

The Christmas Eve bombings in Jos and Maiduguri, committed by the radical Islamic terrorist group, Jama’atu ahlus-Sunnah Lidda’awati wal Jihad, and the New Year’s Eve bombing in Abuja, committed by unknown perpetrators, were cowardly and despicable acts.

“These bombings represent a direct attack on the right of the people of Nigeria to live in safety and peace.

Canada welcomes the government of Nigeria’s determination to bring the perpetrators of these repugnant acts to justice.

Their reactions came just as President Goodluck Jonathan said he had directed all security agencies to arrest the bombers within the ‘shortest possible’ time.

Jonathan, in a message posted on his Facebook, said now that the bombers had through bombs, deaths, violence and destruction,’ Nigerians would ‘take justice to them wherever they are hiding.’

He described the perpetrators as terrorists, whose intentions are to manipulate the fate of Nigeria as ‘we approach an epochal year of positive change.’

In the message titled”We must not give in to fear this year,” the President vowed that the Federal Government would not allow any disruption in the nation’s plans for a prosperous 2011.

He said, “I have instructed all arms of our security establishment to within the shortest possible time find and bring to justice, all those behind this cowardly act of utmost wickedness.

“I repeat: they have spoken through deaths and messages of sorrow, now Nigerians will speak through love, unity and justice.

“It is the intention of those behind the blasts to get government and Nigerians to enter into panic mode and begin to react instead of proact. If we do this, they have won. So, we have to take all necessary steps to bring them to book after swift but thorough investigations.

“As we usher in the new year, I want all Nigerians to be assured that this administration has made plans for the good of all our people in the coming year. Some of these plans you know, but I will take some time to touch on some of them.”

Jonathan had while speaking after the New Year service at the Evangelical Church of West Africa in Abuja on Friday, said that analysis of the fragments of exploded bombs in different parts of the country showed that they were from two different sources.