Terror threats: US, UK, others can’t scare us in Nigeria – Gov Sule

The Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Sule, has dismissed terror attack threats on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by some foreign governments, saying no country can scare Nigerians in their country.

Governor Sule assured that Nigeria is safe and will continue to be safe.

He, however, charged the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel, as well as other security agencies in the country to rise to the occasion and defend the country against terror attack threats. 

The United States of America, The United Kingdom, Australia and other countries had recently issued security alerts about imminent attacks by the terrorists on the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, asking their citizens to vacate the city.

But the Nigerian government has dismissed the call by the foreign governments, describing it as unnecessary alarm.

Speaking Monday in Abuja, during the foundation laying ceremony of the 200-room capacity NSCDC Cooperatives House at the Corps’ headquarters, governor Sule charged the security agencies not to be cowed.

He said Nasarawa state is one of the most secure states in the country because the security agencies had been doing their job.

Sule said: “We can not allow anybody to scare us around the world that our country is not safe. Nigeria is safe, Nigeria will continue to be safe.

“Do not allow criminals to cow us”, he charged charged the security agencies, adding that: “When the US announced the security alert, Uk followed, Australia followed and people are scared of coming to Abuja.

“In Nasarawa state, we had our first security meeting to address the issues because we can not take issues of security lightly and I encourage you, we can’t also be cowed by anybody.

“Nigeria belongs to us, Nigeria is our only country. We must get up as members of the NSCDC and all the other security agencies in the country and defend our nation and not allow any criminal to overtake us.

“Nobody can scare us from coming to Abuja but as you go out there to do your work [do it] as members of the NSCDC…and also as people of Nigeria and that you are doing it for your own children and grandchildren.

“So you should do your best to defend this country and do not allow criminals to cow us into where we are. That is not how it suppose to be and we can not continue to do that.”

The governor applauded the NSCDC’s Agro Rangers for the peace being enjoyed in Nasarawa state, saying they have been able to secure farms and reduced the misunderstanding between farmers and herders in the state.

In the same vein, the deputy governor of Borno State, Umar Usman Kadafur, who represented Governor Babagana Zulum at the occasion, commended the NSCDC for securing the farms on the outskirts of Maiduguri.

He also praised the agency for recruiting many members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) who could have become a security risk at the end of the insurgency in the country.

Speaking on the essence of the event, Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, said the idea of the Cooperative House “is in furtherance of staff welfare programmes aimed at enhancing the financial status of the Cooperative Society towards uplifting the standard of its members. 

“It is expected upon completion to increase the fortunes of the Cooperative Society and impact positively on the Corps welfare drive for its members, being an additional source of generating funds for its activities.

“The Cooperative House is designed to accommodate such facilities as conference centres, event centres, shopping mall, guest house, gym and other recreational facilities/services that will be available for use not only by its members, but will also be open for use by the general public.”

He, however, warned the his leadership “will not fold our arms and condone any act of indiscipline and mismanagement of resources placed under your care to the detriment of the welfare of your members.”