The Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has stated that despite the daunting security challenges facing the country, the Nigerian military and other security agencies have succeeded-and are succeeding in substantially restoring security across the nation.
The Minister stated this in his address at a Joint World Press Conference on Security held in Abuja and which has in attendance the Minister of Defence, Maj.Gen. Bashir Magashi (rtd), the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Dingyadi.
According to Lai Mohammed, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is grappling with daunting security challenges-from terrorism to banditry; kidnapping to separatist violence; crude oil theft, armed robbery and sundry crimes.
His words: “It’s Undoubtedly the greatest challenge to the peace and security of our great nation since the civil war from 1967 to 1970. It is the kind of challenge that would have overwhelmed many nations. But thanks to the purposeful leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, we can say, I want to repeat, that the worst is over and peace and security are gradually returning to the land”.
He also commended all men and women of the Nigerian military, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Force, Immigration, Customs, Nigerian Correctional Service, Intelligent agencies, etc for their sacrifices and patriotism. The Minister appealed to Nigerians to continue to support the security agencies by providing them with actionable information in their onerous task of keeping the country safe.
He further commended and also solicited the support of the media and implore them to highlight the recent successes recorded by the security agencies in tackling terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, separatist violence and oil theft, among others.
The Minister of Defence, Maj. Gen. Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd) in his presentation noted and highlighted the asymmetric nature of the existential threats, which the armed forces of Nigeria is combating.
According to Magashi whose briefing covered ongoing military efforts across the 6 geopolitical zones of the country as well as Nigeria’s participation in Peace Support Operation in Republic of Guinea Bissau. He further stated that in the North East zone, the Counter-terrorism and Counter-insurgency operations against Boko Haram and Islamic States of West African Province (ISWAP) known as Operation HADIN KAI, has undergone series of reorganizing and restructuring and resourcing to make it more potent.
He further noted that synchronized ground and air operations have continued to inflict huge casualty on the terrorists and have been forcing many of them, including commanders and amirs, to surrender in droves with members of their families.
He further noted that whilst areas where terrorists hitherto had some freedom of action are being cleared, socio-economic life is gradually returning to most parts of the North East.
Magashi similarly noted that operation WHIRL PUNCH which covers Kaduna and Niger States are recently reorganized to also cover the critical Abuja-Kaduna Expressway, which had a defunct stand-alone operation codenamed operation THUNDER STRIKE.
According to the Minister, the huge volume of more than 30,000 vehicles which ply the expressway on weekdays and about 50,000 vehicles during weekends, highlighted the socio-economic importance of the road.
Magashi further revealed that the North Central zone of Nigeria whose prevalent security threats are herders/farmers conflicts, wanton attacks/killings of rural villagers, livestock rustling, kidnapping for ransome and banditry among others have 2 military operations, codenamed operation SAFE HEAVEN and operation WHIRL STROKE. For operation SAFE HEAVEN which covers Plateau State as well as parts of Kaduna and Bauchi states bordering Plateau.
The nature of the security threats in the operational areas, the Minister said, dictates the employment of both kinetic and non-kinetic means to deal with the different security issues.
He further said that both operations in the North Central zone have continued to make the environment safer for the citizens to pursue their dreams.
In the South East zone, he noted that the secessionist violent and criminal activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra and the armed wing Eastern Security Network which presents the greatest threats, have been seriously curtailed and diminished.
In the South South zone where crude oil theft, illegal refining of petroleum products, vandalism of oil pipelines, sea piracy/robbery, kidnapping for ransome, militancy and environmental degradation are amongst the potent threats, the Minister noted that operation DELTA SAFE is being conducted in the Zone to protect the nation’s oil and gas industry which is the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy.
He further stated that the combined efforts of Operation DELTA SAFE and the Nigeria Navy have continued to protect oil installations and prevent economic sabotage.
In the South West zone, the Minister observed that operation AWATSE is being conducted mostly in Lagos and Ogun states to deal with the menace of pipeline vandalism and petroleum product theft as well as sea piracy.
The Minister also highlighted on Nigeria’s participation in Peacekeeping operations in Republic of Guinea Bissau under the auspices of Ecowas Stabilization Support Force after the coup attempt in February 2022.
The Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who supervises four paramilitary agencies namely Nigeria Immigration Sevice (NIS), Nigeria Correctional service (NCOs), Federal Fire Service (FFS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) noted that the Ministry has fulfilled its mandate if maintaining internal security through its four agencies and has also contributed to economic development by facilitating the entry, operations and establishment of foreigners and Foreign firms to do business in Nigeria. He vowed that the Ministry shall continue to work for the peace of the nation and deter elements that constitute threats to the people.
The Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Dingyadi in his briefing highlighted the crime fighting achievements of the police formations across the geopolitical zones especially in Borno state, Zamfara state, Niger state, Ondo state, Delta state, and Enugu state where various criminal activities has been contained and nipped in the bid and arrests made by police personnel.
He noted that efforts emplaced by the Nigeria Police force to tackle these pockets of violent crimes has largely paid off as evidenced by the achievement recorded within a space of two months, July-August, 2022, nationwide.
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