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Jonathan Summons Governors, Others To Security Meeting

Following an attack on Nyanya Motor Park on Monday morning and the abduction of 200 school girls in Borno on Tuesday, the Nigerian President, Goodluck … Continue reading Jonathan Summons Governors, Others To Security Meeting


jonathan_gesticulationFollowing an attack on Nyanya Motor Park on Monday morning and the abduction of 200 school girls in Borno on Tuesday, the Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday summoned all 36 governors and others to a security meeting.

In a statement, the President’s aide on media and publicity, Reuben Abaati, disclosed that the meeting would hold on Thursday at the Presidential Villa.

According to the statement, “the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, the Minister of Defence, Lt.-Gen Aliyu Gusau, the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, the Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the State Security Services and the Director-General of National Intelligence Agency” would be at the National Security Council meeting.

The security meeting “will be followed at 13:00 Hours by an enlarged meeting on security developments in the country to which President Jonathan has invited State Governors” to review the security situation in the country as well as ongoing national security measures and operations with a view to determining the best way forward.

Although there have been criticisms against President Jonathan, Abati said the President wanted all Nigerians and persons living in the country to know that “the Federal Government remains very mindful of its responsibility for the safety of their lives and property in all parts of Nigeria and will continue to do everything possible to protect them from the scourge of terrorism and insecurity”.

Abati further stated that “the President is particularly concerned about the plight of the young Senior Secondary School girls who were reportedly abducted from their school in Borno State on Monday night and has ordered the military and national security agencies to deploy maximum efforts towards rescuing all of the girls and returning them safely to their parents. He welcomes reports that the military and security agencies have already rescued some of the girls.”

The President further expressed regrets over the “pain, sorrow and anguish brought upon many Nigerian families in recent days” but insisted on his conviction “that with the patriotic commitment and support of all Nigerians, the country would ultimately overcome its present challenges and move forward in unity and strength”.

“In this regard, President Jonathan will be pleased to see all politicians in the country exhibiting greater responsibility and patriotism by doing more to support his administration’s sincere efforts to enhance national security rather than trying to build political capital out of the pain and misery of their compatriots,” the statement read.