[size=13pt]Terrorism: FG places seven countries on watch list[/size]

The Federal Government has drawn up a terrorism watch list similar to the one maintained by some developed countries. Travelers who arrived from or are going to the countries on the list would receive special attention by the security agencies, and the Nigeria Immigration Service.


THE PUNCH learnt over the weekend that the countries on the list were Somalia, Pakistan, Yemen, Sudan, Niger, Chad and Mauritania.


A source in government who spoke to one of our correspondents said government had directed all its security and border agencies to put people whose travelling itinerary included any of these countries under watch.


The directive is said to have followed the sensational interview that Mallam Aliyu Tishau, the co-founder of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, granted the Africa Independent Television last Tuesday. In the interview, which was published by THE PUNCH on Wednesday, Tishau had said that many young Nigerians, who went to Mauritania to train and fight, would soon return to the country.


“I predict that the Nigerian situation may become like what is happening in Somalia. I give this warning because many of those young men who went to Mauritania are being attracted back home because of the violent situation brought by the present crisis,” he had said. The Boko Haram leader also said that three of the returnees were bomb specialists who had been recalled from military training in Mauritania


On Sunday, an official of one of the security agencies told one of our correspondents that the agencies had always paid special attention to people coming and going to those countries. However, he admitted that their (agencies’) efforts had been increased in the last five days.


The source, who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the subject, said, “It is not that we have not been monitoring travelers from the affected countries, but Tishau’s revelations have made us to intensify efforts in the last five days.”


Investigations revealed that travelers coming from and going to Niger and Somalia were included in the watch list because of the link Boko Haram had with some citizens of the two countries.


The group, while claiming responsibility for the June 16 bombing of the Police Force headquarters, had said, “Our jihadists have arrived in Nigeria from Somalia where they received real training in warfare from our brethren who made that country ungovernable.”


Also, the State Security Service, in a statement on September 6, had said that it had arrested five suspects, including a Nigerien national over the bombing of the Suleja offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission on April 8.


The source said, “The surveillance is not limited to West African countries. There are countries where there are regular occurrences of bombings. Travelers going to and coming from such countries are included.


“We are not taking anything for granted. The surveillance is not aimed at harassing anybody. It is meant to beef up security along our borders.”


The enhanced security procedures came on the heels of the meeting between the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, and senior security officials from the Niger Republic in Abuja last Friday.


The Police Force Public Relations Officer, Olusola Amore, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, had explained that the meeting was aimed at combating the illegal flow of arms and ammunition, and the movement of illegal immigrants.


When contacted, the NIS Public Relations Officer, Joachim Olumba, confirmed to one of our correspondents that travelers from terrorism-prone countries had been receiving special attention from the service.


Although he declined to name the countries, he said, “Although travelers to these countries always lie that they were going to Ghana or Gambia, we have ways of knowing their real destinations and we have put in place mechanism to track them.”


According to him, the operational strategy of the agency goes beyond tracking travelers to terrorism-prone countries, adding that the NIS had strengthened its intelligence and operation departments to address the prevailing security challenges in the country.


Responding to a question that the immigration service was not being carried along by other security agencies in the fight against terrorism, the NIS PRO said that the organisation received intelligence report from other sister security agencies “when necessary.”


While addressing all the State Comptroller-Generals in her office a few weeks ago, the NIS Comptroller-General, Mrs. Rose Uzoma, had warned that the officers would be held accountable for lapses in their areas of jurisdiction.


She urged them to be in synergy with other security agencies to gather intelligence, adding that traditional rulers and commercial motorcycle unions should not be left out of the efforts to secure the country.


“Businessmen in Immigration uniforms must be unmasked and shown their way out of the Service. We cannot condone any officer who regards the Service as a part-time job,” she had warned.

http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20110926044326

People coming and going from those countries even the boko haramist wont be found with any bomb or knife, they will pick that when they are arrived in nigeria

The directive is said to have followed the sensational interview that Mallam Aliyu Tishau, the co-founder of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, granted the Africa Independent Television last Tuesday. In the interview, which was published by THE PUNCH on Wednesday, Tishau had said that many young Nigerians, who went to Mauritania to train and fight, would soon return to the country.

A sleeping President, smh

NA

THEM

SABI

Amen to this. I love wat mrs rose pointed out. Nig immigration officers are known to be 'bribe collectors'. If this is not checked and defaulters are not punished severely, all this might not work.

Niger & Chad are on the list? LWKMD!!!!!!!!!!! Northern Nigeria is practically the same as Niger & Chad. There are zero border controls and goods/services/people come and go as they please. The President might as well put Northern Nigeria on the terrorism list too! LOL!

oh Nigeria, what a funny country.

My question is how a man that was in detention was released to go and grant an interview. These security agencies done lost their damn minds!!!

the countries on the list were Somalia, Pakistan, Yemen, Sudan, Niger, Chad and Mauritania.


WHERE IN THIS LIST IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COUNTRY? NIGERIA. Abi no body is going to watch it?

IBB, Atiku and Buhari should be on the watch list, This Northerners behave like the cows they rear, i don't blabe them because they are only adapting to their natural environment, "Animalistic behaviors"

moremi2008:

Niger & Chad are on the list? LWKMD!!!!!!!!!!! Northern Nigeria is practically the same as Niger & Chad. There are zero border controls and goods/services/people come and go as they please. The President might as well put Northern Nigeria on the terrorism list too! LOL!

My bro no scatter my belle with laugh o  

The directive is said to have followed the sensational interview that Mallam Aliyu Tishau, the co-founder of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, granted the Africa Independent Television last Tuesday. In the interview, which was published by THE PUNCH on Wednesday, Tishau had said that many young Nigerians, who went to Mauritania to train and fight, would soon return to the country.

Why did it take a press interview to initiate a very important security move? I think Nigeria is in trouble with the kind of leadership at the security agencies.

This was a guy who went to the IG with very sensitive information but instead of acting on it and treating him as an asset (or a mole)  the guy was detained. (Thats what informants go through when dealing with the Nigerian Police) And the  result? What he said was to happen happened within a year!!!!!!!!!!! Nobody is querying the IG on his very poor tactic and handling of the situation. Did the IG even report it to other security agencies? or to the president?.

A "sister" security agency let him go (according to the police) is the "sister" agency thinking differently from the police? perhaps realising that the guy is an asset in information gathering let him go? or maybe he is truly an SSS mole (as claimed by Boko Haram themselves) and the SSS (sister agency?)let him go. The SSS has infiltrated the Boko Haram sect (as confirmed by them). What have they gathered? How did they share it? How did they use it? How did they protect their sources?

More questions than answers, twists and turns and everything in between. This is material for a hit Tom Clancy book. And what's worse, the President appears confused by it all!

Lord Jesus we know human beings are made through you so come and be our security and guidance.AMEN
www.geomelgroup.org

Who cares!!!

Let them bomb everywhere and let everything scatter jooorrrr and let everybody answer their papa's name!!!'

There's a border town in maiduguri where we normally take a walk into chad. Less than a kilometer walk. No custon, no immigration, no police or any form of security agent. Jst choose where u wan take enter and bam!! U ar in chad. We av the most porous border in the world.

Crazy move by the FG but reasonable.

At east for the time being the foreigners will not start bringing thanks and jets down to Nigeria.

Ijogz K:

IBB, Atiku and Buhari should be on the watch list, This Northerners behave like the cows they rear, i don't blabe them because they are only adapting to their natural environment, "Animalistic behaviors"

u think all northerners are animalistic?!dats an animal thing 2 say

Nigeria needs a president right now 

Gayigaskia:

Nigeria needs a president right now 

Wetin you no mean. Na you or your younger brother type this thing? Why would you need a presido wen my sugar daddy is there. Take time o b4 i make one phone call now now.

Nigeria having a terrorist watch list! is this a joke or what? protect your border first before thinking of having list.

and where is Iran?(that imported ship of bombs) are they scared to list them or what?
this govt cant cease to amaze me jaare,
maybe they want those countries to come pleading like they(nigeria) do to usa and im sorry for them cos they don hit hand for truck with sand lol

We don`t have border up North. Naija land extends to Mali, even Libya.

haha funniest story ever so how do those countries pose any threat to naija. smdh

graluxxy054:

Wetin you no mean. Na you or your younger brother type this thing? Why would you need a presido wen my sugar daddy is there. Take time o b4 i make one phone call now now.

no wonder!!!

Naija na were things they happen

y has no conutry placed US & UK under terrorist list? After all they use CIA & MI6 respectively to carry out their terror acts. As for 9ja, they re US baby, lol

That is not news, we have also placed Borno, Bauchi, Kano, Niger, katsina, Gombe, Sokoto, zamfara and Yobe on Our TERRORISM LIST. people going to and from the states to the SW will be giving special attention by OPC

What about Iran?

I said What about Iran?

well, it help to slow things down, but let no one make any mistake about this: The terror of Islam is at moment only a smoke, the fire is coming.
He that have ears, let him hear.

noblezone:

What about Iran?

I said What about Iran?

well, it help to slow things down, but let no one make any mistake about this: The terror of Islam is at moment only a smoke, the fire is coming.
He that have ears, let him hear.

Iran is a predominantly Shia country.boko haram (ahlus-sunnah wal ja'ma lidawati wal jihad) as evident from their name is a Sunni group with salafist/wahhabi leaning just like al-qaeda.even the USA has failed to find any connection between al-qaeda and its affiliates and Iran due to their ideological differences.Iran mostly sponsors resistance movements to israeli occupation such as hezbollah in lebanon and palestinian factions.also,hezbollah is a Shia organization and hails from predominantly shia south and east lebanon.

if all muslims were Shia or have a leadership like that in Iran bacteria-like groups like boko haram and even alqaeda wont exist.among the Shia there are strong leadership structures and members do not act without religious backing from such shia prominent leaders who exist in the open.also,you find that if there is no substantial threat and cause to defend themselves,these leaders do not send their followers on terror sprees.

Clueless and shoeless odechukwu retardeen is either high on drugs,smoking ganja or fantasizing he is obama.who will effect his watchlist?so it is the honest people from those countries they now intend to start harassing.there are a thousand ways for the terrorist to enter naija so i doubt this "list" will have any effect at reducing terrorism

I love my country! Lmao:-)