Jonathan lashes out at service chiefs

President Goodluck Jonathan has lashed out at the top hierarchy of the security agencies over the way they have been handling the issue of the militant Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

Investigations by SATURDAY PUNCH in Abuja on Friday showed that the President, at a meeting with service chiefs on Monday, expressed dissatisfaction with the management of information and intelligence reports on the sect.

The President was said to have noted that in spite of his warnings, the security agencies were still working at cross purposes.

It was however gathered that the security agencies had got a presidential order to fish out the foreigners, who assisted the militant Islamic sect to manufacture the bombs that had been detonated in several parts of the country to devastating effects.

It was learnt the President specifically took a swipe at the security chiefs for the poor management of an interview granted the African Independent Television by a self-acclaimed co-founder of Boko Haram, Mallam Aliyu Tishau.

Tishau, had in the interview, said he warned the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, before the June 16, 2011 bombing of the Force Headquarters.

His revelations, however led to a disagreement among the security agencies. The police, at a news conference on September 23, 2011, said that they released Tishau to a sister security agency.

Both the Army and the State Security Service, in a swift reaction, denied that Tishau was released to them.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Raphael Isah, had said, “I can say authoritatively that Tishau was never with the Nigerian Army. We may be compelled to demand from whoever is saying that Tishau was with the Nigerian Army to provide proof.”

But after their initial disagreement, the security agencies on Wednesday addressed a joint news conference, where they rationalised the release of Tishau.

The security agencies had stated that the security agencies in the country insisted in unison on Wednesday in Abuja that the self-acclaimed co-founder of the Boko Haram Islamic sect, Tishau, was released based on a court order.

The Director of Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, said, “This news conference is therefore essentially to assure Nigerians that there is no iota of disunity or rancour with or between security agencies in the fight against terrorism despite the orchestrated speculations by a section of the media.

“It is necessary to put on record that the so called co-founder of Boko Haram, Mr. Aliyu Tishau, was arrested and detained by security agencies for questioning on his relationship with the terrorist group and was later released on the strength of a court order.”

Investigations showed that the joint news conference was the outcome of Jonathan’s meeting with the service chiefs.

A Presidency source said that Jonathan noted that in spite of his repeated warnings, the security agencies were not cooperating with one another.

The source said, “The President bluntly told the security chiefs that the Tishau issue was badly handled. He said they were washing their dirty linen in the public.”

According to the source, such disagreement on pages of newspapers will portray the agencies as incompetent.

He added, “I can tell you that the joint news conference was borne out of the President’s meeting with the service chiefs. If not, why should the security agencies, which have been trading blame, speak with one voice?

“In fact, Jonathan read the Riot Act to them, saying he would not hesitate to sack the service chiefs, if the agencies failed to heed his advice on the need for harmony among them.”

The Presidency source stated that the security agencies should begin a hunt for the expatriates who were assisting the militant sect to manufacture bombs.

Our sister newspaper, THE PUNCH, had on Wednesday reported that the security agencies were on the trail of the expatriate bomb manufacturers.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Onyeabor Ihejirika, had in the report confirmed that Boko Haram had been receiving training and funding from external sources.

Ihejirika had said, “It’s definite that the youth, who call themselves Boko Haram or terrorists, receive training and possibly funding from some foreign elements.

“This is evident from the type of weapons that we have captured from them and from the expertise that they have displayed in the preparation of Improvised Explosive Devices.”

The Presidency source stated, “The issue cropped up at the meeting. Although the President commended the security agencies for the arrests made so far, he directed them to go after the expatriates, who make bombs for the group.”

Investigations showed that the security agencies had been directed to intelligence gathering in order to identify various splinter groups in Boko Haram.

It was gathered that reports had shown that there were factions in the militant sect and government was determined to identify them. According to the Presidency source, the government believed that this would assist it in initiating dialogue with the group.

He said, “In spite of Boko Haram’s statement on Wednesday that it was not ready for dialogue, government is still determined to purpose it. The government will meet their legitimate demands.”

Boko Haram had on Tuesday said that it was not ready for dialogue.

It said it would continue the bombings across the country until its demands were met. It warned the media to stop treating Tishau as its member.

Its demands, according to its spokesman, Abu Qaqa, include the punishment of those who extra-judicially killed its leader, Mohammed Yusuf, in the September 2009 uprising and the reconstruction of its places of worship, which were destroyed by security agencies in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The sect, which has been linked to Al-Qaeda splinter groups in Africa, is also demanding that the Sharia Islamic law be in operation in 12 northern states of the country.

Book Haram had claimed responsibility for the August 26, 2011 bombing of the United Nations house in Abuja, a development which generated international outrage after the death of 25 people, mostly Nigerians.

Boko Haram, which came to prominence in 2007, means Western education is an abomination.


http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201110010483715

Same ol' Same ol'

can't even read it all

only in nigeria people bomb innocent people and still seat on live tv to brag about it kai

celebrities i guess

We need concrete & urgent solution to all these, not trading of blames. Or r they waiting 4 another bomb to detonate?

critics of capua, shall we beginnn?

Boko Haram is gradually becoming a stale news, Jooh!

Mr. President should atleast borrow a leaf from Obama,those who declear war on us we shall defeat and those who are our friends we shall love,Nigeria is bigger than anybody even your security chiefs.

Sooo, Boko Haram bomb and kill people and their leaders get prime time interview slots on TV but MASSOB members just go for Igbo day and are beaten, killed or arrested, because they are non violent? What language does Nigeria understand? This GJ and Nigeria sef

ugosly:

Boko Haram is gradually becoming a  stale news,  Jooh!

seconded

All the security chiefs are culpable and deserve to be fired. GEJ fire them now before they cause more harm to your Government.

It is only in dz country dat d imposibl turnz posibl n d easiest tinz turn very complicated n confusin, n lik 2shotz rytly puts it d name '9JA' sef dey bak-fire.

Mr Jonathan, go beyond lambasting them. Make scapegoats out of these inept people by firing them. You can do it.

However, if you fail to do it, the blame becomes yours as the Head of Government. The buck stops on your table.

this one is too much 2 read jare, dnt u do summary in sch?