http://odili.net/news/source/2011/sep/4/518.html
UN House bombing: Security chiefs must go –Sara-Igbe • Says 70% Northern leaders support Boko Haram
By Daniel Alabrah (danuzi1@yahoo.com)

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Fury continues to trail the August 26, 2011 bombing of the United Nations House in Abuja, which left no fewer than two dozen innocent souls dead. More than triple that number were injured and are still hospitalized, with their lives virtually hanging on a thread.


Sara-Igbe


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But the anger is not only directed at the purveyors of death - Boko Haram - which claimed responsibility for the bestiality. Security expert, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, contends that with the current security apparatus in the country, Nigeria will never win the war against its newest challenge – terrorism, which Boko Haram typifies.

Fuming as he spoke to Sunday Sun, the former state security adviser to the erstwhile Rivers State Governor, Dr Peter Odili, insists there is need for a total overhaul of the country’s security agencies. He says: “The security team does not listen to advice. I think the most appropriate thing to do is to resign. All of them should resign; they have failed Nigeria… if I were any of them, I won’t wait for the President to sack me. I will sack myself.”

Bombing will continue

Yes, the bombing will continue because we are dealing with an organization that is linked with Al-Qaeda. Sometime in 2009, precisely on August 9, 2009, Mallam Sani Umaru, the acting head of Boko Haram, issued a statement in which he confirmed that Boko Haram is an arm of Al-Qaeda. He stated and I quote: “Boko Haram does not in any way mean ‘Western education is a sin’ as the infidel media continue to portray us. Boko Haram actually means ‘Western civilization is forbidden.’ The difference is that while the first gives the impression that we are opposed to formal education coming from the West, that is Europe, which is not true, the second affirms our believe (sic) in the supremacy of Islamic culture (not education), for culture is broader. It includes education but not determined by Western education.

“Boko Haram is an Islamic Revolution, which impact is not limited to Northern Nigeria. In fact, we are spread across all the 36 states in Nigeria, and Boko Haram is just a version of the Al-Qaeda, which we align with and respect. We support Osama bin Laden. We shall carry out his command in Nigeria until the country is totally Islamised, which is according to the wish of Allah.

“We have started a Jihad in Nigeria, which no force on earth can stop. The aim is to Islamise Nigeria and ensure the rule of the majority Muslims in the country. We will teach Nigeria a lesson, a very bitter one.

“From the month of August (2009), we shall carry out series of bombing in Southern and Northern Nigerian cities, beginning with Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu and Port Harcourt. The bombing will not stop until Western civilisation is wiped off from Nigeria. We will not stop until these evil cities are tuned into ashes.”

Incompetent security agencies

Since that statement was issued in August 2009, there have been series of bombings. What is baffling is that despite these threats, the Nigerian security agencies have not taken the warnings serious. The Nigerian state does not take care of its citizens. It does not protect the lives and property of Nigerians. The security agencies we have are not competent. I have said before now that the police lack the capacity to handle terrorism. The Nigeria Police does not have the capacity to combat terrorism.

Security chiefs must resign

Terrorism is a terrible crime in the world. The whole security and intelligence system in Nigeria has collapsed to the level that they don’t know the right thing to do. The security team also does not listen to advice. I think the most appropriate thing to do is to resign. All of them should resign; they have failed Nigeria. I don’t know how the security issue is being handled. But if I were any of them, I won’t wait for the President to sack me. I will sack myself. I mean the NSA, the IGP, the SSS boss and all of them.

Terrorism needs a strong security unit. All over the world, there is a way terrorism is handled and not the way Nigeria is going about it. They must learn from other countries and set up a counter-terrorism unit. If there was a counter-terrorism unit, what is happening today would not have happened.

Gaddafi precipitate Al-Qaeda link

Gaddafi is a sponsor of terrorism in the world and some of the rebels in Somalia and Libya. If a country is seen as being that anti-Muslim, there is the likelihood that it could be a target of terrorist attack. Nigerian government’s support for the rebels fighting Gaddafi in Libya could be a factor for the recent bombing. They believe that Nigeria is anti-Islamic state and nothing more.

President needs to be forceful

They should bring people that are proactive to do the job. The president is not forceful enough to fight terrorism and is not commanding respect. If they know that you will deal with them squarely, they know their limitation. But we have not seen a forceful statement from the government. You don’t negotiate with terrorists.

Seventy per cent of Northerner leaders support Boko Haram

Northern leaders are pretenders. I can tell you that 70 per cent of Northern leaders support Boko Haram. They are just pretenders. How can Kano State governor say they should release Boko Haram suspects because of a threat to bomb Kano when no one has been tried for all these acts of terrorism in the country? What he is saying is that those carrying out those barbaric acts should not be taken to court. So if somebody commits a crime that should be punished and is not arrested, they will continue to commit more crime. The President must be decisive. Boko Haram should not be treated with kid gloves.

If nothing is done now, we should expect more bombings and sporadic shooting in most part of the North as the activities of Boko Haram has the support of most of the Northern elite and political class who are opposed to the emergence of Dr Jonathan as President of the country.

Counter-Terrorism Unit as way forward

Terrorism is becoming a major threat across the world. With the activities of Boko Haram in the different parts of northern Nigeria, including Abuja, the need for an elite Counter- Terrorism Unit is more crucial than ever. Throughout the world, government and the military set up small elite tactical units for the purpose of dealing with terrorist threats.

Across the globe, many countries have their CTUs tasked with the duty to neutralize terrorist threats. For example, the United States of America has four main units tasked with counter-terrorism and they are the FBI, the Navy Seal also known as the Delta Force, the DEVGRU also known as “Seal Team 6”or the Special 27 Force Operation Detachment Delta (SFOD-D), and the CIA-Special Activities Division (SAD). The units that are tasked with counter-terrorism in Britain are called Special Air Service (SAS) and Counter Terrorism Command. In Germany, GSG-9+, Police SEK/ MEK and USK are in charge of eliminating terrorist threat and counter-terrorism, while in Israel YAMAM-elite Israeli police anti-terror unit, S-13 (Israel Navy Seal), which is also called Devedun or Mistaarvim-IDF and Boarder Guard are responsible for counter-terrorism, foiling terrorism, hostage rescue, undercover for foiling terrorism and intelligence gathering.

In view of the current security threat in Nigeria, the enviable role played by Nigeria in peace keeping across the globe and Nigeria in the international oil politics, there is need for a CTU that will be responsible for checking the activities of international and local terrorist organizations in the country and around the borders.

The CTU should be under the command of a Director, who will have operational autonomy and control from the National Security Adviser (NSA) who’ll report directly to the President and Commander-in-Chief. Administratively, it will be under the command of the NSA, who shall be responsible for all posting and supervision of the unit.

In addition to the CTU, the Nigerian Military High Command may set up tactical commands as Special Anti or Counter Terrorist Units that will be responsible for counter terror, foiling terror, undercover, policing, monitoring, surveillance, intelligence gathering and analysis, bomb disposal, suspected package investigation, para-trooping and anti-terrorist command. The units can act as counter terrorist agents in Nigeria and should be tailored toward the British 22 Special Air Service (SAS) and that of the USA Delta Force or SFOD-D. They should be trained to conduct direct actions and reconnaissance missions.

Virtually all information about the unit, details of specific mission and operations must be classified and not publicly available. The CTU must be well funded and equipped with modern digital equipment, tools, technology and human resource that are experienced in security, military, para-trooping, bomb disposal, guerrilla warfare, nuclear technology, navigation, driving all forms of vehicles, boats, ships, air plane and trains, information technology, communication, intelligence, forensic investigation, surveillance, monitoring and policing nationwide.

We must bring together all data so far collected in the National Identity Card scheme, Driver’s License, INEC Voters Registration and the details in the bank account opening records to kick-start a national data bank for security purposes. There is also the need for the country to set up an institute of forensic science to train forensic scientists. For us to move forward as a nation, we must develop a data base containing the name, address, parentage, biometrics like finger prints, facial recognition, genetics, DNA of citizens and foreigners that live in or visit the country.

The setting up of the CTU will, to a large extent, reduce the activities of criminals, who in the past committed crimes without being detected.

I would say 99% instead