FCT ATTACKS: The Nigerian National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Buhari, Babagana Monguno, has rebutted the denial by the Nigerian Army about the attack on the presidential guards responsible for protecting the FCT and the Aso Rock Villa where President Buhari resides and operates from.
The said attack around the Bwari outskirts of the capital territory, reportedly left up 8 soldiers dead and some missing after the attack, leading to further report of abduction of some soldiers.
On Thursday, this attack on the presidential guards troops was confirmed by the NSA, who now categorically says that the recent attack in Abuja resulted in the “decimation” of the troops.
Monguno made this disclosure on Thursday while speaking to state house correspondents after a meeting of the Nigeria Security Council in Abuja, which was called by President Buhari following the threat of the terrorists to abduct him and the governor of Kaduna State, Mallam El-Rufai.
Background:
Clariform reports that on the 24th July 24, troops of the presidential guard troops whose primary duty is providing security for the Federal Capital Territory and President Buhari were ambushed by terrorists within the federal capital territory (FCT).
After some denial of this attack, the Nigerian Army had admitted that the loss of life of only three casualties were recorded in the attack.
The FCT have come under recent threat by the terrorists who have also carried out a successful attack on the Kuje correctional center within the FCT, during which known terrorists were released from detention.
Notable Quotes:
Contrary to the claim of the Nigerian Army that only three soldiers dies in the attack, the NSA, while speaking on Thursday indicated that the many more soldiers actually dies in the hands of the terrorists within the FCT.
He however, did not give the exact figure of the dead soldiers.
Confirming the attack, he said: “A few days ago, troops of the guards brigade were ambushed and decimated. Had there been collective effort by way of just snippets of information, we might have averted that incident.”
“That is not to say that the responsibility is for those outside the security domain. It’s a collective responsibility.”
Admonishing the media, he said:
“Council is also concerned about the nature of media reporting incidents with regards to insecurity. It is important for the media to understand that certain reports being generated by the media, either the way or the manner in which they report, can also aggravate the delicate situation,” he said.
“So, council is urging the media to be very careful in whatever it reports. Whatever gets out to the public space can have a debilitating effect on the population.
To the political elites, he said:
“Equally, the political elite is also urged to take into account the consequences of utterances, especially from people who have established a reputation — people who are considered leaders of thought; people who are considered to have some kind of influence in society.
“Whatever goes out may be harmful, not just to the government — if that is the intention, which I doubt may not be a deliberate thing — but at the end of the day, it will affect the wider society.
“We are in a very difficult situation. Council understands; Mr. President understands people’s concerns about the growing insecurity. But I can assure you that there’s no straight cut-and-dry method of dealing with this thing unless all of us embrace each other.”
New strategy:
The NSA further said that the security agencies have vowed to adopt new strategies to rout out the terrorists.
He said, “they have given their word and their commitment to the president that there will be a change in momentum, regardless of the fact that there might be certain institutional limitations which they face”.
“They have understood the enormity of the responsibilities that they have,” he added.
Takeaway:
Things are currently very tensed up in the Nigerian capital territory where the insecurity situation is at fever pitch level, especially after the attack by ISAWP (Islamic State in West Africa Province).
This was followed by threat to kidnap President Muhammadu Buhari and Mallam El-Rufai, the current governor of Kaduna State, which is another hub of terrorism in the country.
The elevated security threat have led to the closure of some schools in the FCT, which includes a federal government owned “unity collage”, which closed on the order of the Minister of Education.
The emboldened terrorists have also reportedly written to the Nigerian Law School in Abuja to immediately pay an advanced ransom on about 500 students in the institution and the lecturers to avoid attack on the school.
