Retired Generals meet on way out on Security

ABUJA— Following the increase in the spate of Boko Haram bombings and attacks in the country and seeming inability of security agencies to stop them, retired military generals have scheduled a two-day meeting in Abuja to deliberate on present security challenges and come out with possible solutions to the problems.
The retired generals under the auspices of Alumni Association of National Defence College (ANNDEC) in conjunction with the National Defence College , will converge at the auditorium of the NDC on 24th and 25th, January 2012, to brainstorm on National Military Strategy and serve as a bridge between the current participants at the College and ANNDEC.

Addressing the media on the objectives of the meeting at the weekend, Chairman of the organizing committee and former Guards Brigade Commander, Major General Alexander Mshelbwala (rtd), noted that “It is to bring the experiences of members of the Alumni Association including former Service chiefs, GOC’s, etc, to bear on the academic learning of the participants in order to galvanize them for the daunting work awaiting them in the field with respect to national security”.

Commenting on the importance of the seminar, General Mshelbwala said, “The answer is not far-fetched. The Vanguard for national security is the armed forces since the main purpose for their creation or establishment is for the defence of the territorial integrity of the nation”.
‘In other words, to the armed forces, the survival of the Nigerian nation is not only fundamental but indeed not negotiable. Nonetheless, it is the people that make or unmake the efficacy of the military in this direction. Realizing this therefore, the seminar has been carefully structured to harp on the critical sectors of national endeavours with a view to distilling the security support components inherent in them”, he said.

Meanwhile, after last Friday’s bomb explosion, armed soldiers have been drafted to the troubled city to beef up security in the state. The 24- hour curfew imposed on Friday was still in force, with the exception of those returning to their homes and those searching for lost loved ones.
A source said that corpses continued to arrive at several mortuaries in Kano, including Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Murtala Hospital, and Nassarawa Hospital.

Hundreds of seriously injured victims were also receiving treatment and first aid across the ancient city.
Some corpses were mutilated and others burnt beyond recognition. In some cases, aid workers pieced together torn and scattered body parts before moving them to mortuaries.
A staff of a hospital said that many people besieged his hospital looking for missing relatives or the corpses of those confirmed dead.

“Those who cannot trace their loved ones just fall on the ground and wail,” the source said.
Boko Haram, sect had claimed responsibility for the attacks in a widely circulated paper written in Hausa and released on Friday.

The statement read:
“In the name of Allah, Peace and Mercy! We are the group called ‘forbidden’ that is Boko Haram but we love to call ourselves Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Liddaawati wal Jihad. This message is to all inhabitants of Kano State especially the security agencies, those arresting our brothers and telling the media they are arresting thieves or armed robbers. These are our brothers they are arresting. We don’t have the right to attack those who don’t attack us but our war is with the government fighting Muslims, its security agencies and Christians (under C. A. N), those killing Muslims and even eating their flesh and all those helping security agents even if they are Muslims. Anybody who becomes an accomplice to arresting our brothers should wait for our visit.” The message ended with the words, “Message from Leader Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Liddaawati wal Jihad. Imam Abu Muhammad Abubakar Bin Muhammad (Shekau).” (Vanguard)