PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has issued fresh orders to heads of security agencies to rescue all passengers abducted in the Kaduna train attack and other persons still being held hostage across the country.
National Security Adviser (NSA) Babagana Munguno disclosed that Buhari gave the order at a meeting of the National Security Council in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
The NSA said Buhari expressed displeasure and sadness over the activities of bandits, terrorists and kidnappers across the country.
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“The President spoke about his sadness in respect of recent security challenges and developments we have had in the country, in particular the incident in which several Nigerians lost their lives with many more taken into captivity by criminals and bandits.
“Not just those that were captured during the last Kaduna–bound train incident but those that have been in captivity in other parts of the country.
“The President has directed all the operational and intelligence elements to rescue all of these innocent people immediately and unhurt. This is the basis on which other issues were discussed.
“The Chief of Defence Staff, the Service Chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) all briefed the President on occurrences in their respective organisations,” the NSA said.
Monguno added that he also made recommendations on how to address security challenges in the country.
“I submitted a memo to Council, and my recommendations are being looked into by the President.
“My recommendations are wide-ranging, and they touch on all aspects of security, starting with the level of security of our land borders as well as within the country itself.
“It has to be contained collectively by both the Armed Forces and constabulary forces, but the intelligence agencies have also been directed to enhance the acquisition of intelligence,” he said.
The Inspector-General of Police Usman Alkali, promised that security will be beefed up across the country before, during and after the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Osun and Ekiti as well as the 2023 general elections.
“We are hopeful, and we believe the narrative will change for the better in terms of securing the country to enable us to conduct both the staggered and general elections,” the IGP assured.
The ICIR reported that Buhari met with heads of Nigeria’s security agencies on Thursday.
The meeting initially scheduled for April 19 came a week after the National Council of State also deliberated on the security challenges in the country.
A reporter with the ICIR
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