The Presidency has declared that terrorists’ use of propaganda and violence to force governments to accept or submit to political demands is not new all over world and that it (government) is doing its best to arrest the situation.
The government made the declaration on Sunday in apparent reaction to the threat by terrorists in a video that they would kidnap the president, Muhammadu Buhari, and other top government functionaries.
In a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the government said however that the country’s security and defense forces were not clueless or helpless.
According to him, they had their plans and ways of doing things which they would not display in the media.
He explained that the dilemmas in dealing with the specific case of train terrorists who issued the threat were manifold.
He assured that the security forces were not relenting.
Said he: “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.”
He added: “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.”
The statement reads in full:
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.
