Salihi-Magashi gave the assurance on Sunday in Katsina when he led a federal government delegation to Governor Aminu Masari on a sympathy visit.

He said that security agents were working hard to ensure that the abducted students were rescued.

“So far, we have been briefed by the Police Commissioner, GOC, Brigade Commander, Air Commander, DSS, and other security officers.

“Our interest is to keep ourselves abreast with what actually happened two days ago and we believe with their briefings, this task is going to be simple for us.

“We have strategies and I believe we can do it without any collateral damage to the people of Katsina State.

“We have the intelligence, the information, their whereabouts, their movements and their methods of operations.

“The task is easy for the armed forces and the police.

“The only thing is that we need prayers from you so that there will be no collateral damage in the event of being hostile.

“We assure you that all hands are on deck,” he said.

In his remarks, Masari said that the school had a population of 839 students.

He said that the state government was still searching for some of the missing students.

Members of the delegation included the National Security Adviser, retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno and the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin.

Also in the delegation were the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas and the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar.

Others were the Director General of the Department of State Services, Yusuf Magaji-Bichi and Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai.

Some students of the boarding school were kidnapped on Friday night by gunmen.

Source: NAN

The post Katsina: Abducted students to be rescued soon, says Defence Minister appeared first on Frontpageng.

The National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Mongouno (retd) made the disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja, saying that what they planned to do was to instigate widespread violence.

He spoke at an emergency meeting with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

Present at the meeting were the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu and the Director General of Department of State Services, Yusuf Magaji Bichi.

Monguno, however, said that the government was taking adequate steps to ensure that the elections would be peaceful and credible.

Among other things, the security chief said, the use of private security and vigilance groups would be prohibited across the country.

While giving the assurance that security agencies would remain neutral in the elections, he appealed to governors to co-operate with them to ensure peace.

The chairman of the forum, Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, gave the assurance of the governors’ co-operation, stressing that elections was not a do-or-die affair.

He however said security agencies needed to collaborate with one another to be able to achieve good result in ensuring peace.

Said he:  “We are prepared to partner with security agencies to ensure that the process is credible and that the elections are acknowledged as free and fair by both local and international observers.

“Members of the governors’ forum are committed to collaborate with security agencies to ensure that the forthcoming elections are free, fair and conducted in an environment conducive for peaceful elections.

“Governors are, however, concerned about the proliferation of arms and ammunition and the spate of kidnapping across the country.

“The forum recommends stronger collaboration and intelligence sharing among security agencies in the country to ensure that all lives and property are protected, regardless of individual or group affiliations.

“Lastly, we seek stronger synergy between governors as the chief security officers of their respective states and the heads of security agencies to strengthen preemptive measures of curbing election violence and other anti-social vices.”

The post Elections: Govt identifies those behind plot to cause crises appeared first on Frontpageng.