Terrorism: FG mulls nationwide ban on motorcycles, mining

The Federal government on Thursday said it is considering a nationwide ban on the use of motorcycles, as part of measures to stem the lingering insecurity.

This was part of the decisions taken at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday,

The NSC deliberated on terrorist activities, including logistics being used by the terrorists, especially the act of executing the attacks carried out across the country

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, flanked by his Interior and Police Affairs counterparts, Rauf Aregbesola and Mohammed Dingyadi, respectively, while briefing State House Journalists, at the end of the meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, revealed that a nationwide ban on motorcycles and mining is part of the measures being considered to impede terrorist activities, to cut off the sources of funds for the terrorists

“ We deliberated extensively on what needs to be done for the purpose of ensuring that their means of logistics and indeed considered the necessary steps to be taken in degrading their capacity to move around.

Malami noted that the terrorists’ activities are being aided with the use of motorcycles for easy movement, while mining provides them with the money to fund their arms supply.

He disclosed that there is a “nexus and indeed connection has been established” between the use of motorcycles and the swiftness in their operations

“A resolution was equally developed on the need to address frontally, the attacks and ensure at the end of the day that other considerations be put in place to check terrorism, by stopping their sources of funding”

He said the federal government is now looking at ways to inhibit their actions by blocking the sources already identified.

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Malami noted that terrorists have moved from the conventional ways of funding their activities to mining and ransom taking making it necessary for the government to act.

“The government would look into possibilities of placing restriction on use and distribution of motorcycles which is the most conventional logistical means being deployed by terrorists.

Also speaking, the Minister of Interior, affirmed that substantial efforts went into gathering intelligence before the recent attack on Kuje Correctional Center but regretted that there was an absence of will to act on it.

Aregbesola, who said the preliminary investigation on the attack had been submitted to the President, assured that all those who are found to have shrieked their responsibilities at the end of the ongoing investigation would be punished.

“Again, issues of funding of the terrorism and the terrorism act were discussed and deliberated upon and considered.

“As you rightly know, recently the government under the leadership of President Buhari had indeed, passed assented to certain bills inclusive of the money laundering, prevention and prohibition act among others.

“With the passage of that law, and assented to, the conventional means of terrorist funding and financing was substantially and drastically addressed and that led to forensic analysis of and identification of certain personalities that were in one way or the other connected with terrorism funding and financing.

He, however, noted that the terrorists have created new innovations to circumvent that law by the terrorists to access funds and financing, through of the use of mineral resources.

He disclosed that the government is also studying the use of ransom which conventionally has been taken by the terrorists.

There is the need to now look into those frontiers that are being considered by the terrorists for the purpose of addressing them accordingly”

“ The government is looking at what measures to take in terms of addressing, bridging and blocking the associated source of funding including payment for ransom and indeed, the mining activities and the possibility or otherwise of suspending, for the time being, mining activities, are being considered as well, by the government.

“ Again other than logistics and funding, mining, other considerations were equally put in place on the table for consideration by the council.

“ With particular regard to the unfortunate incident of the Kuje Correctional Center attack, there will be consequences for dereliction of duties, if indeed it is established.