•Says the worst is over •3,150 inmates on death row
By our Correspondent
The Federal government yesterday gave hope for an imminent end to the lingering spate of insecurity across the country by setting December time limit to bring the menace to an end.
A joint team of government officials comprising of three Ministers and top echelon of the military and paramilitary services conveyed the multi-agency determination to end all forms of insecurity in the country in four months, declaring that the worst is over.
The President has already given directive to that effect, and there is no going back, both Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and that of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola separately confirmed at a press conference in Abuja yesterday.
The joint press conference was addressed by the Ministers of Defence, Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, (rtd), Interior Minister, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and Police Affairs Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Dingyadi.The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed was the moderator of the event.
Also at the event was the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor and other heads of Paramilitary Agencies including of the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Police, Correctional Service, Fire Service and the Civil Defence among others.
The press conference was held to give progress report on terrorism, banditry and kidnapping in the North-East, North-West and North Central, separatist violence and crude oil theft in the South-East and South-South as well as cultism, armed robberry and sundry crimes in the South-West.
In his opening remarks, Lai Mohammed said the military and other security agencies have succeeded – and are succeeding – in substantially restoring security across the nation.
“As far as the daunting security challenges we face are concerned, we can tell you that the worst is over. Never again will terrorists and bandits and their cohorts hold sway in our country,” Lai said.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent directive to the military to crush those terrorising our citizens is working, hence peace and security are gradually being restored to the country.
He quoted from the President’s directive thus: ‘‘Judging by the available reports to me and news that have begun emerging in the last few days, I will say they have heard this instruction and are responding appropriately. In the past couple of days, you must have heard about the number of terrorists neutralized by the military, and number of hostages freed.
“These efforts will not stop, or reduce. We must take the fight to the terrorists and demonstrate that there is no hiding place for them within the borders of our country. Each one of them will be hunted, and pursued and spoken to in the language that they understand.’’
Lai said on account of the purposeful leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, “we can say, I want to repeat, that the worst is over and peace and security are gradually returning to the land.”
He said not minding isolated cases of security challenges here and there, that it will not be on the scale that we have witnessed in the past.
“ We want to use this opportunity to salute Mr. President for his leadership. When many threw their arms up in the air and felt it was all over, President Buhari remained resolute.
“When many called for the use of foreign mercenaries to tackle the challenges, especially terrorism and banditry, President Buhari never wavered in his belief in the ability of our gallant men and women in uniform to rise to the occasion, and rise to the occasion they did. Some said the security challenges have overwhelmed the military, but the military has now demonstrated that no group of ragtag criminals can ever overwhelm them.
“Terrorists and bandits and co can run but cannot hide, and this has been demonstrated by the arrest of those who attacked a church in Owo. These criminals can run but cannot hide, as we have seen in the decimation of the cowards who ambushed the Brigade of Guards troops in Abuja.”
He said also that military and other security agencies have been decimating the top echelon of ISWAP and Boko Haram, and that armed bandits camps and resources have been destroyed, and the capacity of IPOB/ESN has been substantially degraded.
For his part, Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola gave assurance that Nigerians are now safe and secure following sustained successes in the fight against Insecurity.
He said that the President has ordered that by December, every inch of the Nigerian soil will be safe and secure, and that the military and Paramilitary Agencies have heeded the order.
“We shall bear the full powers of the government to secure every inch of our land. We shall not rest until peace is fully restored in Nigeria,” Aregbesola said.
He also revealed that 3,150 inmates in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service are on death row and are awaiting execution, adding that only 25% of the inmates are convicts.
Others, he said, are awaiting trial, and some have been in custody for five to ten years and have become more experienced about the prison environment even more than the warders.
He expressed concern that awaiting trial cases ought to be concluded within18 months to fast track justice dispensation and administration, and to decongest the prison facility.
He disclosed that the Correctional facility in Kuje recently invaded by gunmen has neen fortified to the extent that it cannot be violated any more. “If anyone dares to try our will now, they may not live to regret it,” he said.
Aregbesola also warned hoodlums to steer clear of fire fighting scenes, saying that should any hoodlum attack fire fighting officers on duty, the authorities will attack them heavily to the point that they may not live to tell the story.
Defence Minister, Major General Bashir Magashi, retired, and his Police Affairs counterpart, Alhaji Mohammed Dingyadi separately gave assurance of the commitment of the Armed Forces and the Police to work closely to realise the directive of the president and usher in lasting peace and security to the country.
