Following the Abuja terror alerts issued last week by the United States (US) and other countries, the Federal Government (FG) on Monday assured Nigerians to continue their lawful activities because the county is secure and safe. This was made known on Monday by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (Rtd), immediately after the National Security Council emergency meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Present for the meeting include the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Farouk Yahaya, amongst others.
Monguno said, “We just concluded a sitting, an emergency meeting of the National Security Council, which was held at the behest of Mr President. We have just concluded to discuss recent happenings within the FCT and certain declarations and alerts coming from various quarters, insinuating growing insecurity and threat to security within the FCT and environments.
“I will like to assure all the citizens of this country that any sense of insecurity, any hype about the disintegration of our security forces and intelligence agencies, is unfounded.
“I want to assure Nigerians that so far, the situation has been under control, and the intelligence and security agencies have made a lot of arrests. They’re evaluating and they’re exploiting all the materials in their possession”.
According to him, the terror alert issued by the embassies of US and other countries was focused at its citizens residing in Nigeria, Abuja but it has been misinterpreted by the general Nigerian populace, thereby causing unnecessary panic.
In his remarks, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor said, “Just to also indicate that, as mentioned by the NSA, to use this opportunity to assure Nigerians that the Armed Forces, the police and other security agencies are working around the clock to ensure that lives and properties of Nigerians are protected and so far, there is no cause for alarm.
“Nigerians should go about their normal duties as the Armed Forces and other security agencies are well poised to protect them accordingly”.