The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, on Monday met with the chief security officers of all the embassies in the country.
The meeting came barely four days after the United States warned that Nigeria risked being attacked by terrorists.
A standing committee and a joint operational room were set up after the meeting in Abuja to check any form of threat to security in the country by terrorists.
Okiro said that the meeting reviewed the existing security arrangement at the embassies.
The IG, who had held talks with police chiefs in the Lagos and Abuja commands, added that recommendations made at the meeting with the security chiefs had been implemented.
Those that Okiro also met with were the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar; his Abuja command counterpart, Mr. Haruna John; and the deputy Commissioners of Police in charge of operations in the Lagos command and the Federal Capital Territory.
Although Okiro reiterated that the police had always taken the security of the embassies seriously, he assured foreigners in the country of their safety.
He said, “My attention has been drawn to some publications alleging that the United States Embassy issued a press statement alleging that there is a possibility of terrorist attack on American interests in Nigeria.
“The Nigeria Police wish to state that the security of embassies, especially the American Embassy, has been on constant review.
“Series of security meetings have been held between me and the chief security officers of embassies.
“The Nigeria Police wish to assure all the embassies that there is no cause for alarm and that adequate arrangements have been made for the safety of their citizens.”
Okiro, however, advised Nigerians and foreigners to be security conscious and not to allow “themselves to be used by self-seeking, unpatriotic elements to feather the nests of foreign powers.”
The Deputy Spokesman for the US Department of State, Mr. Tom Casey, had said on Thursday that the warning was necessary to put diplomatic staff and Americans in Nigeria on their guard.
The Department issued the warning ahead of the 6th anniversary of Al-Qaeda’s attack on the World Trade Centre and Pentagon in New York and Washington D.C.
“On September 6, the US mission said it received information that American and other Western interests in the country are at risk of a terrorist attack without giving the name of any group behind the pilot.”
It added that potential targets included diplomatic buildings and businesses in Abuja and Lagos.
A similar warning in June 2005 resulted in the closure of US missions in Lagos and Abuja.
In Lagos, the State Government also on Monday convened an emergency Security Council meeting to find ways of further securing the lives and property of the residents of the state.
The meeting was attended by members of the security agencies in the state and the representatives of the service chiefs.
Before journalists were asked out of the meeting, the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), said his government viewed the US warning with all seriousness.
Fashola said, “The emergency security meeting was convened because we have taken the terror warning of the US seriously.
“Although we are still studying the statement, our government is serious about protecting the lives and property of the citizenry.
“ We will assess the situation to ensure that the lives of our people are not in danger.
“In the course of the meeting, we also decided to raise awareness and ensure that the security agencies are up to the task and on the alert always.”
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy,
Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, told Journalists after the meeting, that the government resolved to collaborate with security chiefs to curb social vices in the state.
Opeyemi said since the state was hosting many expatriates it was necessary for the government to place security above any other thing.
He advised members of the public to call the following numbers – 01-4931260; 01-4978899; 01-4931261; 01-7745705 – if they noticed any security threat around them. Multilinks subscribers are to call 100.
Olusola Fabiyi, Tobi Soniyi and Kemi Obasola
The Punch
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
