Security Consultant and Public Affairs Analyst, Femi Adegbulu on Wednesday said although there have been improvements in the security measures against terrorism, as there were no records of “any major upsurge of insurgents” towards the end of 2013, the nation is yet to reach its ‘Eldorado’.
He also mentioned that every attack by the insurgents gives the government the upper hand as it gathers more intelligence on the methods of the terrorists. “With each of the attacks, Federal Government gets wiser,” he said.
Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, Mr Adegbulu commended the efforts of the security agents in combating the Boko Haram menace adding that the peaceful Christmas and New Year celebration shows that “the security apparatus of the government is actually working and that they have improved on their intelligence gathering.”
While analysing the security situation in the country, he stressed that the terrorists have strong financial backing from persons or groups internationally which “is making the job of security very difficult indeed, because we have to match this force with force,” he said.
He added that “we really need to match them force with force with money, men, strategy and everything” and assured that the government will always have the upper hand against terrorists as long as it has the necessary political will to do so.
On the controversy surrounding the Apo killings, he said the confession of a Boko Haram suspect confirmed that the SSS was well aware of its mission in storming the hide-out. Adegbulu advocated that credit be given to the security forces as a way of encouraging them.
On the government’s claim that terrorists from neighbouring countries attack and flee, Adegbulu said it shows the porosity of Nigerian borders. He called on members of the relevant agencies in charge of the borders to carry out target hardening or tightening, which means to make it impossible or difficult for malevolent individuals to gain entrance into the country.
The government will also need to deploy resources to that effect and collaborate with the countries as issue can lead to “diplomatic faux pas”. On relationship and exchange of intelligence between the country and neighbouring nations, he said it is a move still in the process.
