President Jonathan reads the riot act to his service chiefs

At a meeting which held at the villa on Saturday, President Jonathan expressed displeasure with his service chiefs over the recent increased spate of killings all over the country from Borno to Nassarawa  to Yobe. He was particularly disappointed at the killing of security personnel.

A report by Leadership Newspaper claims that President Jonathan instructed the service chiefs present at the meeting to come up with result-oriented measures that would restore law and order all over the country, and the North East and North Central in particular.

An earlier scheduled state visit to Namibia by President Jonathan had to be suspended due to the insecurity problem. The president returned from South Africa, and immediately summoned a meeting of the Security Council.

Members of the Council who were present include the National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki; the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Ola Ibrahim; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, the Chief of Air Staff Air Marshall Alex Barde, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, who wore a black badge to mourn the officers that were killed and the Director General of the State Security Services, Ita Ekpeyong. The Chief of Army Staff was represented.

Also present were the director general of the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA), the chief of DIA, the minister of state for defence and the minister of police affairs.

Reports say that the president's anger and disappointment was visible.

“President Jonathan was not happy at all. He spoke for a very long time, asking some critical questions. He told the security chiefs he would not tolerate a situation where policemen and soldiers were being killed like chickens, and ordered the security chiefs to sit up and put an end to the bloodletting,” a source said.

He further said that the security chiefs disclosed that some unguarded utterances made by some politicians and other influential personalities in the north were not helping matters and cited the Baga massacre as a reference point. “They (security chiefs) told the president they were doing their best but the president replied, ‘I am not satisfied with your best. You must bring an end to this shameful act once and for all’.”

President Jonathan however disagreed with the United States government that Nigerian security forces were using excessive force in the name of combating Boko Haram, including extrajudicial killings, prolonged detention, and disappearances.

The US had, on Thursday, called for a probe of the alleged mass killing of civilians and destruction of property by security forces in Baga and Bama, Borno State.

Presidential adviser Abati, who spoke on the outcome of the parley, declared, “It is also not true that the administration is adopting a force-based approach. The approach to the insurgency by the government is not a uni-focal approach. There are many dimensions to it. One of those dimensions is the consideration of the option of dialogue and what has become known as amnesty.

“Beyond that also, the government is working with state governments in the affected areas to ensure the security of lives and property, protection of the civilian population, human capital development and stability.

“What has been made very clear is the fact that the terrorists that we are dealing with are not just local insurgents; they also have international connections as revealed yesterday in court that they receive funding from certain elements in Algeria. The determination of this government is to reduce, through human capital development initiatives, the population of persons who can be recruited for these evil purposes.

“The major point in response to this statement by the US Embassy is that thorough investigations are already ongoing with regard to the incidents in Baga, Bama, Nassarawa and other places.

“President Jonathan is on record as having ordered very thorough probes. He has also encouraged independent investigations by the National Human Rights Commission. In addition, he has had to cut short his trip to South Africa and cancel his planned state visit to Namibia. He is back in the country to personally oversee the situation.

“Today (yesterday), President Jonathan has hosted an emergency meeting of the National Security Council where he received further briefings from security chiefs.

“Second, President Jonathan has made it very clear that, apart from the investigations, where there has been any case of misconduct, the persons involved will be brought to justice. There is no issue therefore as to the fact that the government will ensure accountability and the protection of the civilian population from terrorist attacks.”

After the meeting with President Jonathan, all the security chiefs except inspector-general of police Mohammed Abubakar refused to speak to State House correspondents.

The IGP expressed displeasure over the killing of his men in Eggon town, Nasarawa State.

“The killing of my officers in Nasarawa State was very said. We are working on it,” he said.