The Department of State Services (DSS) has raised the alarm over alleged plot by some criminal elements to bomb worship and recreational centres as well as return the country to pre-2015 general elections during and after Eid-el-Fitr.
The Service in a press release by the Public Relations Office, Dr Peter Afunanya, titled: Public Alert on Renewed Bomb Explosions, Tuesday in Abuja, said: “The DSS hereby draws public attention to plans by criminal elements to return the country to the pre-2015 era reminiscent of IED attacks on soft and hard targets in parts of the country.
“Though there are already reported cases of such incidents in some areas, the Service has uncovered a ploy by suspected criminal gangs to forge an alliance among themselves with a view to launching further attacks on critical infrastructure and other frequented public places like worship and relaxation centres, especially during and after the holidays and festive celebrations.
“The objective is to achieve some self- serving interests as well as cause fear among the citizenry. The Service, however, recalls its earlier warning that some groups and individuals were plotting to stoke violence in the country.”
The spokesperson further said: “Following these, patrons, owners and managers of aforementioned public places are advised to be wary of this development and implement basic security measures to deter the threats. While the Service is committed to the disruption of this trend and pattern of violent attacks, it will continue to partner with other security agencies to ensure that necessary drills are emplaced in order that public peace and order are not jeopardised.
“To this end, residents are enjoined to go about their lawful businesses and share, with security and law enforcement agencies, useful information on the activities of criminals.”
He further stated that, “The DSS Director General (DGSS), Alhaji Yusuf Magaji Bichi, wishes all and sundry a hitch free Workers’ Day and Sallah celebrations.”
Bandits strike
In a related development, bandits Monday night stormed a community killing the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman of Aribi Ward, Kagarko local government area of Kaduna state, Mr Iliya Auta and injured one other person in his company.
The bandits also shot to death a farmer simply called Tanko in Kuchi village and injured another person, while they made away with eight motorcycles and several cattle after attacking various communities in Kagarko local government area of Kaduna state.
Though, Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mohammed Jalige and Kaduna state government have yet to confirm the incident, a competent source from the community, who did not want his name mentioned, said the APC chairman was killed on his farm while another person with him was shot, and receiving treatment at a hospital in Kagarko town.
According to the source, Iliya was not the target of the bandits who were apparently on a mission when they saw him on his farm making a call beside his car, a move they mistook that he was calling to report their presence, hence he was shot to death as a result.
The source said, “the APC Ward Chairman went to his farm and after close of work on his farm, he was about going back home but his car developed an electrical fault and he was trying to call an electrician to help come and fix it not knowing that the bandits were behind him.
“The bandits thought he was calling the villagers to report their presence, that was how they shot him and he died instantly and the other person with him also sustained bullet shot and receiving treatment at Kagarko hospital now.
“One other person by name Tanko was killed in another village called Kuchi and another person sustained injury and in critical condition in the hospital. The bandits also made away with eight motorcycles and several cattle but to the best of my knowledge, there was no kidnap of persons.”
Another source however said unconfirmed number of persons were abducted after the attacks that took place Monday night within and around communities in Kagarko local government area.
CSO on foreign support
Meanwhile, a Civil Society Organisation, Integrity Advocacy for Development Initiative and Centre for Peace and Transparency and Accountability,
has called on the federal government “to seek functional foreign partnership especially in the area of improved crime detection, crime arrest management technology & hardware.”
The CSO also advised “for the improvement of human resource expertise of the Nigerian military, police and the paramilitary agencies.”
At a state-of-the-nation press conference addressed Tuesday by the leader, Comrade Patrick Ogheneyero, the group said “the use of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme to support the military and law enforcement structures of Nigeria is another worthy consideration.”
The group also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to continue to engage the governors, the Council of State, civil society groups in all communities within the 774 LGs, religious and traditional rulers, the media and other sundry critical stakeholders via Town Hall meetings as a means of achieving autonomy for local governments.
He said: “It is noteworthy to applaud the good intentions of President Muhammadu Buhari towards the achievement of autonomous local government in Nigeria, especially, the creation of NFIU-Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit which is birthed to ensure direct funding of local governments from the federation account with the primary intention to improve the economic capacity of Local Governments to steer change in the grassroots which inadvertently would only consequent to economic development of Nigeria in general.”
“We are aware of the lack of cooperation by governors for reasons of easier administration of LGs as the governors claim, but we sympathize with the intention of the President.
“It is in the best interest of the Nigerian people and so we admonish him to continue engaging the governors, the Council of State, Civil Society groups in all communities within the 774 LGs, religious and traditional rulers, the media and other sundry critical stakeholders within the Nigerian space via Town Hall meetings,” they further said.
He said,”community policing, and the dire need for citizens engagement and involvement in security of our communities cannot be overstretched.”
While recalling that unemployment rate in Nigeria between 2014 to 2020 had risen to an alarming rate of 35.3%, the group appealed to the federal government “to intensify effort on the Nigerian youth employment action plan 2021 to 2024, review fiscal and monetary policies in the direction that will encourage the ease of doing business which inadvertently stimulate the growth of Small and Medium Scale enterprises (SMSE’s).
“We also call on all Nigerian governors to also replicate same in their respective states because the unemployed/unengaged youth is a ready tool for all vices and crime.”
