Goodluck's Security Meeting With Govs Condemn Nyako's Memo On Genocide

President Goodluck Jonathan, state governors and service chiefs yesterday rose from the expanded national security council meeting that lasted more than seven hours, with a condemnation of the memo by Adamawa State governor Murtala Nyako to northern governors in which he accused the federal government of sponsoring genocide against the rorth.

The meeting which began at about 12:13pm at the council chambers of the presidential villa, Abuja, ended at about 7:15pm.

Briefing journalists after the meeting alongside his Niger, Borno and Ekiti counterparts as well as defence minister Aliyu Gusau and presidential spokesman Dr Reuben Abati, the Abia State governor Theodore Orji stated that the expanded national security council meeting unanimously condemned Nyako’s memo.

He said, “The memo written by one of our colleagues, Adamawa State governor Murtala Nyako, was discussed and there was a very unanimous condemnation of that memo. All officers and people in positions of authority were advised to be cautious of what they say, that is, what they say should make us know that this country belongs to all of us and not something that will demoralize us; not something that will excite or incite people to go the negative way”.

Orji noted that the meeting recognised the fact that the issue of security should not be left for the federal government alone, and that cooperation at every level was needed among the federal, state and local governments.

He said, “When there is a synergy, obviously progress will be made. The meeting also agreed that at the state level, governors who are chief security officers have to do a lot to help because that is where the security issue is. In so doing, the state governors should mobilize their radio houses in other to sensitize the people in the state so that they will beware of this security situation.”

Governor Orji further stated that the council agreed that the Boko Haram insurgency was not a religious war “because both Muslims and Christians are being killed. It doesn’t discriminate against any person”.

On his part, Niger State governor Babangida Aliyu told journalists that after Nyako’s memo was discussed, the meeting agreed that there was the need to show restraint in making statements in order not to embolden the insurgents.

“There is no need to be giving the terrorists the impression that they are succeeding because terrorists want to know that they are making impact,” Aliyu added.

On his part, Ekiti State governor Kayode Fayemi said the meeting harped on the need for information sharing between security agencies.

“Data should be shared across the board amongst security agencies. Holistic approach in curbing terrorist activities including the anti-poverty approaches,” he said, noting that the meeting also focused on Chibok, with security agencies pledging that they will do everything possible to ensure that the abducted children are rescued.

Fayemi further said the meeting stressed the importance of ensuring capacity building of media organisation so that security sensitivities of those issues are addressed.

According to the defence minister Gen Gusau, the meeting discussed the overall security of the country, the operation in the northeast, kidnapping and criminal activities that warrant government’s attention.

He also emphasized that security is everybody’s responsibility, and that everyone should be security conscious, adding that the meeting also harped on the need for massive public security awareness.

Apart from Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola, other All Progressives Congress (APC) governors were in attendance. The governors of Rivers, Kano, Imo, Edo, Ogun, Yobe and Jigawa sent their deputies. Plateau State governor Jonah Jang sent his deputy.

The composition of the expanded national security council meeting took a more enlarged dimension with the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Saad Abubakar III and the president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor in attendance.

The state governors in attendance were those of Anambra, Abia, Benue, Bauchi, Kwara, Cross River, Ebonyi, Delta, Zamfara, Kaduna, Sokoto, Adamawa, Borno, Taraba, Ekiti, Nasarawa, Ogun, Kebbi, Niger, Akwa Ibom, Kogi, Oyo, Osun and Ondo.

All the service chiefs, including the inspector-general of police (IGP), were in attendance. From the federal government side were the secretary to government of the federation (SGF), minister of defence, national security adviser (NSA), minister of justice, FCT minister, and police affairs minister among others.