.It’s propaganda, military battle ready to deal with security threats-Presidency
Few weeks after the convoy of President Muhammadu Buhari was attacked in Katsina State, terrorists have threatened to abduct Nigeria’s number one citizen.
The convoy of an advance team of the president was attacked on its way to Buhari’s hometown of Daura ahead of Sallah.
Two persons sustained injuries in the attack, which the presidency said was repelled.
The attack on the convoy happened on the day when the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) invaded Kuje Prison in Abuja and freed over 800 inmates, including all the terrorists in detention.
It had been reported how the train abductors jubilated when the Kuje inmates were released.
In a new video seen by Daily Trust, the terrorists who abducted over 60 passengers of the Abuja Kaduna train on March 28, threatened to abduct and kill Buhari and Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.
The terrorists also boasted that they would destroy the country, kill the remaining passengers in their custody and sell out the others.
Some passengers were released after reportedly paying N100 million each.
Meanwhile , the presidency has reacted that the Terrorist activity using propaganda and the use of violence to force governments to accept or submit to political demands is not new all over world.
The country’s security and defense forces are not clueless or helpless. They have their plans and ways of doing things which they will not display in the media.
The dilemmas in dealing with the specific case of train terrorists are manifold: punitive action like the popular call for carpet bombing of the known locations may assuage the desire of an angry public for revenge, but what about the hostages? They have committed no offense. All they did was to board a train.
It suffices to say that the security forces are not relenting. They are acutely aware of their duties, responsibilities and what the nation expects of them. Whenever they embark upon those actions, they expect that the public should provide them with the needed support.
Terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought by all actors- the military, the civilian population and the communication service providers. This is the only way safe havens of terrorists are eliminated in every part of the world.
To help the nation against ongoing situation, the media must increase their support for the fight against the exploitation of the internet and social media for terrorist purposes.
The Presidency, in the meantime wishes to reassure the public that the President has done all, and even more than what is expected of him as Commander-in-Chief by way of morale, material and equipment support to the military and expects nothing short of good results in the immediate.
