VICE-PRESIDENT Namadi Sambo, on Tuesday, met in an emergency session with service chiefs over escalating violence in parts of the country.

The National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President, General Andrew Azazi, who fielded questions from State House correspondents after the meeting which took place at the vice-president’s wing of the Presidential Villa, said the vice-president summoned the meeting in the absence of President Goodluck Jonathan, to assess the security situation in the country.

He said security forces had moved in to curtail the escalation and the situation had stabilised in some places, especially in Kaduna where bomb attacks in churches led to reprisals last Sunday.

“It escalated but the security forces have moved in. So, the place is stabilised. You find that the governor and religious leaders are also talking,” he stated.

The NSA stressed the need for religious leaders to talk to their faithful on the importance of peace in the country, saying, “what we are talking about is how do we extend this discussion beyond just the state that it can [include] church leaders so that they can talk to the leaders in the mosques to see how they can tell the adherents to please be mindful that we need to address the security situation in the country peacefully.”

On whether the talks were not coming too late, he responded: “Talking can never be late. Whatever is the situation, you have to end up talking. We want leaders to be proactive. We want church leaders to be proactive, we want youth leaders to be proactive to make sure that what you call reprisal doesn’t make sense to anybody.

“What we need to do is to be mindful that, look somebody is killing somebody in Zaria and you are retaliating somewhere in Zonkwa. That is criminality.

“Things happen, but as a nation, as a people, we must address situation, not necessarily by killing each other.”

He regretted that no matter how hard the security forces may try, it was not possible to completely tackle terrorist acts, especially because of the size of the country.

Also at the meeting with the vice-president were Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin; Chief of Army Staff, General Azubuike Ihejirika; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ola Saheed Ibrahim; Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Muhammed Umar; acting Inspector General of Police, Alhaji M. D. Abubakar and the Director General of State Security Service, Ita Ekpenyong.

Insecurity: Reps summon Jonathan, security chiefs
The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, summoned President Good-luck Jonathan and his security chiefs to appear at a closed door session of the House, to brief them on what the government is doing to tackle the security challenges threatening the unity of the country, with the Boko Haram menace topping the list.

Those who were to appear alongside the president included General Azazi; Air Chief Marshal Petinrin; Mr Ekpeyong; General Ihejirika; Vice Admiral Ibrahim; Air Marshal Umar and Alhaji Abubakar.

The House resolution was sequel to a motion of matters of urgent national importance, moved by Honourable Yakub Barde on the spate of insecurity in the country, especially last Sunday’s bombing of three churches in Kaduna, where scores of lives were reportedly lost.

The lawmaker, who regretted the unfortunate incident, said the bombing was now threatening peaceful coexistence in the state, saying that “Kaduna has always been known to be peaceful, but these unfortunate attacks are driving fear into the minds of the people.”

Barde said it was time the House took a deeper look at the security challenges facing the country, especially in the North, where the Boko Haram sect had killed several hundreds through suicide bombings in the last 12 months.

On his part, the minority leader of the House, Honourable Femi Gbaja-biamila, kicked against the trip to Brazil for the earth summit, embarked upon by the president.

Also, the chairman, House Committee on Electoral Matters, Honourable Jerry Manwe, berated the inability of security agencies to pre-empt the incessant bombings, despite the huge budget for security agencies.

“We approved almost one trillion naira for security alone in the 2012 budget. Is this money meant to buy AK-47 alone, or to buy bomb detectors for the Villa, or the National Assembly alone, when our brothers and sisters out there continue to die? Are the president, Azazi and the IG scared? We should tell ourselves the bitter truth now.”

In a related development, Speaker, Honour-able Aminu Tambuwal, has distanced himself from the rumour doing the rounds on his alleged comments over Sunday’s reprisals that followed the bombing of churches in Zaria and Kaduna.

The speaker was reported to have, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Mallam Imam Imam, condemned the reprisals without condemning the bombings in the first place.

The speaker, during the session, however, said “in all my comments over these acts, I have continuously condemned the acts as inhuman and not to be supported by anyone. The statement was very clear.”

No plan to declare state of emergency —Azazi
Meanwhile, General Azazi has said there is no plan to declare a state of emergency in any part of the country, owing to worsening security situation.

Azazi, who spoke with newsmen after a security meeting with Vice-President Sambo, at the State House, Abuja, was reacting to question on plan to declare a state of emergency in Kaduna.

On the escalation of violence in Kaduna, Azazi said “it esclated but the security forces have moved in. So, that place is stabilised. You find that the governor and religious leaders are also talking.”

Comments (9)

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written by Engr. Olatunji Samuel, June 20, 2012

Former Vice Chancellor of Ahamdu Bello University Zaria, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said the 1914 amalgamation of Nigeria was a mistake. He said some other countries forced together by colonialists like India and Sudan have broken up. He added that Nigeria was the only remaining state surviving the amalgamation.
This marriage of inconvenience called Nigeria should be divorced. Let us divide this country on the table into 3, 4, or 5 and everybody goes in peace just like Sudan. Let those who own the oil go their way and those who want to practice Sharia or Boko Haram method could have their way too. There is no section of this country that could not be on its own to survive economically, so, why should we force ourselves to stay together. Enough is enough. How could sane and the insane live together under the same roof? President Jonathan should face the reality, a section of the country does not want him to rule Nigeria as an entity, hence, this ploy of using Boko Haram to destabilize the Government and make the country ungovernable. We should remember that a notable politician who lost out in the last election has said that they will make the country ungovernable for Jonathan. In fact, many key figures in his Government are supporters or secret financier of Boko Haram. They have infiltrated his Government. Posterity will not forgive us if we allow the country to disintegrate through civil war. It is better for us to disintegrate in peace. Boko Haram has said all Southerners living in the North should move southward, while, Northerners should also move northward. So, what are we waiting for? Let us start thinking of dividing the country in peace and without bloodshed.

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written by Jay Jatto, June 20, 2012

The earlier we divide this country the better for all of us. The agrieved politicians have succeded in frustrating the current government, and they don't have the clue on how to deal with the ongoing violent. It is clearly evident now that the government can not even address the economic problems of the country because of this distractions here and there. However those who live in a glass house should not throw stones, as it will back fire on them
The politician whos think they can come back to rule nigeria through their violent strategy must be living in a dream world, but you cannot rule anything out as they may end up ruling their sharia and bokoharam country.

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Sambo in emergency session with service chiefs
written by Adegboyega Popoola, June 20, 2012

Meetings were held. What we need is not meeting at the offices. We need meeting at the scene of issues, where the matters are. People are been killed by BOKO HARAM, what has the VP does? While Jonathan was the VP to Yar'Adua, he went in boats to the creek to have meetings with the Niger Delta militants. We all see the result. Let Sambo go meet with his people. Enough of this cosmetic approach to inimical matter. Human lives are been lost on daily basis by Nigerians against Nigerians. Enough of air condition meetings please. He should drive to meet his people in Damaturu, Maiduguri, Zaria and Kaduna. You will see they have regard that he do it. Human live is sacred.

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No Nation survives under incompetent and currupt leadership.
written by Louis Aderemi, June 20, 2012

Nigeria as a nation is a victim of circumstance, the country has becomes an orphan and childless abandonned and abussed.
It is quite unfortunate that anyone strugling for a position of authority is only doing it because of what he will gain from such positions.
Because of curruption incompetent people have taken over the leadership of the nation.
Nigeria is suffering in the hands of her citizen, some time i wonder if we are human in this country. However educated a nigerian is in any position provided he's holding any important public position he will soon loose his sense of reasoning in the government.
That is why bad roads can not be fixed, elctricity can not be fixed,water can not be fixed,etc.
Now we are killing our selves because a a section belief it is their birth right to continue to rule the Nation.

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NO VISITS? ONLY Meetings...
written by MTAlbaba, June 20, 2012

It is really unbecoming of the Heads of Security and the FG to only be meeting in safe Abuja, while the President himself jamboreed out to a nonsense 'earth summit' while Nigeria boils.
ALL SHOULD AT LEAST VISIT KADUNA, ZARIA & DAMATURU IMMEDIATELY.

FURTHER, MOST NIGERIAN CHRISTIANS AND SOUTHERNERS DO BELIEVE THAT BOKO HARAM IS NORTHERN REACTION AGAINST JONATHAN'S RULE. BUT WE WOULD SEE WEATHER BH WILL END ONCE A NORTHERNER OCCUPIES ASO ROCK.

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written by moji, June 20, 2012

ori awon oku orun yio ba gbogbo yin ja in two weeks time u will see gods hands soonest

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written by Onyuzo, June 20, 2012

BOKO HARAM CAN NEVER STOP IN NIGERIA! HAVE WE QUICKLY FORGOTTEN ABOUT (MAITATSIN) AND OTHER TYPES OF ISLAMIC JIHADS AGANIST CHRISTIANS IN THIS SO CALLED NIGERIA? UNLESS WE DIVIDE THERE WILL BE NO END TO TERRORIST HERE. WE ARE JUST DECEIVING OURSELVES BY SAYING WE SHOULD FIND A SOLUTION EITHER BY DIALOGUE OR FORCE TO STOP BH. ITS HIGH TIME WE REASON THAT THE COLONIAL MASTERS JOINED US FOR THEIR OWN GAIN AND SO SOMETHING FAST NOW B4 EVERYBODY WILL BOKO HARAM ONE ANOTHER

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written by women in development, June 21, 2012

The only way to stop these menace of reprisal attack is that those that way-laied and killed innocent people at Gonin Gora must be fished out to face death penalty publicly, we must close our eyes, ears and start from some where, that some where is now.this must not be swept under the carpet enough is enough.

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written by Garbwundu Ali, June 23, 2012

To moot the idea that some people should be fished out in gonin gora and executed publicly will only add fuel to the already charged situation me thinks what should be done is for all to forgive and BH the mastermineds of all these madness should stop their attacks we have enough landmass in yore and borno let the government carve a territory for them give them a take off grant and watch them institute a just system that could be evaluated if the elite leaders of BH don't end up exploiting and mis appropriating the commonwealth of BH republic. Government should stop taking panicky measures except if the FG has just sacrificed amazing and halibut in order to pretend to be doing something while they are unable to visit thosye attacked and commiserate with the states. Why did sambo dissolve the military camps in all the ungwas in kaduna when he was the governor yakowa should not waste time to reinstate those camps because it has aided peaceful coexistence which was shown during the fuel subsidy demonstration except again if some individuals feel these embers of hatred must not be allowed to die. Ahead of Tuesday meeting with parliament what other panicky measures will Jonathan make. He should wake up from heavy sleep with snoring . Why did he rush to appoint dasuki as NSA . He should have looked around for a more matured and fearless general who can stand up to some criminal generals in the country. However since he has handed over the country to babangida it means all the intrigues of IBB regime are back full force .dont forget IBB only stepped aside so now he is stepping back in style.

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