Al-Qaeda Plans To Bomb Nigeria

Chris Agbambu, Obudu - 10.05.2008

The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, has raised alarm over the threat of Al-Queda network to send time bomb to Nigeria. Consequently, he has directed AIG Surveillance, Mr. Israel Ajao, to intensify surveillance with the CP Air Wing, CP Border Patrol and all State Command CPs, to be at alert and ensure that this item did not pass through their end.

Okiro, who made the disclosure on Friday at the Obudu Cattle Ranch Resort at the monthly Senior Officers Conference, also ordered that no correspondence from any of the Federal Highway Patrols should be addressed to him since they had been placed under the supervision of command commissioners of police since 2006.

He also raised alarm on the disturbing upsurge in the use of Army and police uniforms by criminals, adding that arrested suspects would be interrogated on the source of the uniforms, while marketers dealing in such uniforms would be raided.

He also directed that a public statement be issued by the FPRO and state commissioners of police on the illegality of the use of police uniforms by unauthorised persons.

The IG directed the command CPs to rescind the decision to eject SSS personnel in barracks as the issue of their staying had been amicably resolved in the early 1990s.

He said it was at that time that the two services agreed to continue to share the barracks nationwide.

He also directed CPs to organise lectures for officers and men on safety precautions, and custody of riffles as this is to prevent the ugly incident that happened in Ibadan from re-occurring.

While noting that the incident of accidental discharge had been reduced to the barest minimum and that the tempo should be maintained, Okiro advised all senior police officers to ensure that they go for medical check up, at least once a year, adding that an unnamed commissioner of police collapsed on his way from Calabar to the resort and was rushed back to his state for medical treatment. He also disclosed that a senior police officer collapsed at Lagos State police command.

Drawing an analogy from the death of CP, Kaduna State, Mr. Haz Iwendi, a few days ago, Okiro said that regular medical check up for officers was necessary as he had directed that henceforth, all officers must observe their annual leave.

He directed the CPs of both Bayelsa and Sokoto States to beef up security in their state commands in order to ensure a hitch-free re-run of the May 24 governorship elections in both states.

He also directed the Kogi State CP to do same for the re-run of State House of Assembly elections coming up in the state.