2nd January, 2011
As Nigerians continue to condemn the bomb blasts at Mogadishu Barracks, Abuja, Adetokunbo Kayode the Minister of Defence has described the deadly attacks as war against the Nigerian public.
He therefore said the Federal Government will go to any length, including seeking foreign help in unravelling the faces behind series of recent blasts across the country.
But Bala Mohammed, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory has blamed some politicians who he refused to name as the brain behind the deadly explosions.
While speaking during his visit to the scene of the bomb blasts and victims of the explosions undergoing treatment at Asokoro General Hospital yesterday, Kayode said government will not treat the series of bomb explosions across the country with levity.
He added that government will deploy both covert and overt means to counter the security challenges posed by the bomb blasts as the perpetrators have shown that there is no limit to what they can do.
“The Defence Minister added that  government will not overlook any clue that can assist in exposing the faces behind emerging trend of terrorism in the country which he listed to include the Boko Haram attacks in Maiduguri, Borno State and the unending killings Jos.
“Professionals and experts from within and outside the country would be deployed. We will seek the expertise from outside the country if our capacity cannot cope”, said Adetokunbo.
He however added that the fact that bombs were successfully planted in an Army Barracks should not be interpreted to mean that the Nigeria’s security network has broken down.
“What has happened in the past few weeks but the challenges does not mean we are not working, adding that bomb planting is not a regular thing in the country.
“This is not a spite on the military because the Mammy market is generally a public place where civilians interact with the military” Adetokunbo said.
“This incident has shown the nation the kind of people we are dealing with. The victims of these blasts are 99 percent civilians and this is a deliberate attempt to create problems for the people”, he added.
The Defence Minister however said Nigerians should thank God that that the perpetrators were not able to achieve a full measure of their scheme.
He gave the number of those who lost their lives in the bomb blasts as four.
He said this includes three women and one, while 30 sustained serious injuries.
The Defence minister was accompanied on the visit by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) , Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, Chief of the Naval Staff ((CNS), Vice Admiral Ola Sa’ad and the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Mohammed Umar.
During a similar visit to the scene of the blast and the victims at Asokoro General Hospital,Dimeji Bankole, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, while condemning the act said the National Assembly would not make any comment till investigation are completed.
“I am sure that my visit here is not the solution to the problem that we have. We need to know exactly what happened beyond what we can see now. Before I make any response or consistency, which I represent which is the House of Representatives of the national will begin to look at some executives in order to stop this mayhem”.
He however told reporters that the security agencies are up to the task of uncovering those behind the bomb blasts and their motives for the deadly act.
It is politically motivated…
But the Minister of the Federal Capital territory (FCT), Malam Bala Mohammed who was on the Speaker’s entourage expressed doubt about claims in a media report that the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
Rather, the Minister said the bomb attack may have been politically motivated. According to him, the aim of the brains behind the bomb blasts was to cause confusion, create fear and make the FCT and the country ungovernable.
“The act from all I see, as a politician and as the Chief Security Officer of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is to cause fear and confusion so that the territory and the country will be ungovernableâ€, Mohammed who described the act evil and an act of cowardice, said.
He however urged those behind it to “Fear God” in their bid to instill what he described as “fear, suspicion, suspense and absolute chaos” on the country.
According to the Minister, the political motive behind the act was glaring.
“The act was meant to create fear and confusion in the polity but we, under the administration of Goodluck Jonathan believe in God and we believe in divine intervention and that under which this gentle man emerged and that nothing will scare us.
The Minister nonetheless expressed the optimism on the ability of government to take the security challenges posed by the blasts head on: “We have succeeded that we are not going be pushed to a level where the residents fear themselves but we assure all our citizens and our patriot that government will do everything possible to unravel those behind the mystery behind this cowardly act and all the perpetrators will be apprehended by the grace of Godâ€.
Labaran Maku, the Minister of Information and Communications however told journalists yesterday that government will has not specifically indicted any group as being behind the blasts.
He said government will wait for the security agencies to conclude their investigations.
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