Buhari summons emergency security meeting

President Muhammadu Buhari has summoned an emergency security meeting for Monday to enable him meet with security chiefs in the nation’s capital, Abuja, to further review and strengthening of security network in the country.

A statement by the Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu late Sunday night said the President has shelved the commissioning of the office complex of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for the meeting.

The statement said the President, who was initially scheduled to commission the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) new Technology and Innovation Complex, will receive briefs from the security chiefs, and interject on areas that need more attention.
The commissioning of the NASENI complex will hold on a later date.

The President had on Friday advised the nation’s security establishment and entire citizens to continue to be vigilant and careful with security, saying it is important to avoid panic.

The President had in a statement on his return from South Korea in the early hours on Friday, urged Nigerians to remain calm, adding, “The recent changes in travel advice from the US and UK governments should not be a cause for panic.”

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He noted that Nigeria is no exception in having terror threats listed in foreign government’s travel advice to their citizens, adding that “UK and US travel advisories also state there is a high likelihood of terror attacks in many Western European nations. Indeed, the UK and US advice to their respective citizens for travel to one another’s countries contain the same warning. Unfortunately, terror is a reality the world over.

“However, it does not mean an attack in Abuja is imminent. Since the July prison raid, security measures have been reinforced in and around the FCT. Heightened monitoring and interception of terrorist communications ensure potential threats are caught further upstream.”

The statement noted that attacks are being foiled, adding that “Security agents are proactively rooting out threats to keep citizens safe – much of their work unseen and necessarily confidential.

“Nigerians’ safety remains the highest priority of government. Security services are working around the clock to keep harm at bay.”

The President also assured that the government is on top of the security situation in country.

While noting, in addition, that security threats are real and have been with us for a long while, the nation’s military, the police and other security agencies have shown a capability to deal with it, as is evident from the fact that a majority of our partners, including the United Nations agencies in our midst have not seen the threat as being sufficient to warrant any form of panic or order citizen evacuations.

The President stresses that that while being security conscious, being alert and careful is crucial, it is also important that responsible members of the society do not create situations leading to unnecessary panic.

President Buhari commended the military and other security agencies for the recent turn around in the nation’s security, and directs that additional precautionary measures be put in place and that these must not slacken now, and during the upcoming festive period.

The President also expressed optimism that “given the on-going efforts on the part of the military and other security and intelligence agencies with the active support of the civilian population, the nation will emerge victorious against the current challenges facing it.”