Reacting to the last Friday\u2019s multiple suicide bombings in Nyanya and Kuje
\nareas of Abuja which killed at least 15 people, the Peoples Democratic
\nParty (PDP) on Monday blamed the leadership of the Department for State
\nSecurity (DSS), saying the agency is not in full grip of Nigeria\u2019s
\nsecurity intelligence.<\/p>\n
In a statement signed by the party\u2019s acting national chairman, Uche
\nSecondus, the party condemned the resurgence of terrorism and renewed
\nattacks at the FCT.<\/p>\n
Read the statement :<\/p>\n
\u201cThat the Abuja coordinated attacks came just as the nation was already
\ncelebrating the success of our security forces in their efforts to rout
\nterrorists, indicates either a fact of dereliction of duty or sabotage
\nagainst the anti-terrorism fight.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhereas we have remained steadfast in our commitment to support each and
\nevery policy adopted by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari aimed
\nat ending terrorism, especially knowing the importance of secured
\nenvironment in achieving peaceful co-existence, an imperative for
\ndevelopment.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd whereas we are aware that a bomb is an ill-wind that blows no good to
\nanybody in the community, scaring away potential investors, we are
\ntherefore duty bound to draw attention to certain grave factors, possibly
\nleading to the unfortunate resurgence, which, if unchecked could worsen
\nthe ugly situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur checks reveal that poor intelligence gathering by the Department of
\nState Services (DSS) and other relevant intelligence group is largely, if
\nnot directly responsible for the resurgence of terrorists, who have
\nearlier been pushed to the precipices in the Sambisa forest in Borno
\nstate, to the extent that they have slipped back into other cities,
\nincluding the nation\u2019s capital.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom all indications, the DSS under the watch of the current Director-
\nGeneral, Alhaji Lawal Daura does not seem to be in full grip of the
\nintelligence situation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is apparently traceable to the avoidable distractions occasioned by
\nthe flagrant use of the agency for political assignments since the
\nemergence of the new Director-General, in addition to the apparent
\nadministrative disharmony within the service, all resulting in the erosion
\nof professionalism, harmony and loyalty among personnel.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the last few months, the DSS, instead of concentrating on its primary
\nstatutory duties of providing domestic intelligence, security service and
\ncriminal investigations for the state, has, under the new
\nDirector-General, directed all its energies on political matters; chasing
\nafter opposition elements, interfering in election tribunal activities,
\nintimidating and hounding tribunal witnesses, while terrorists resurge,
\nand combatant security forces left with scanty intelligence.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe situation with the DSS has become so pathetic that it could not even
\neffectively analyze reported suspicious tweets \u201cpredicting the attacks\u201d as
\na cue to forestall last Friday\u2019s attack in Abuja and other parts of the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\u201cIndeed, our nation cannot afford a retrogression from the gains already
\nmade in the fight against terrorism due to the failure of a disorganized,
\nimproperly coordinated and distracted intelligence agency, that is not
\nable to live up to its billing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is on this note therefore that we urge President Buhari, as a matter
\nof urgency, to take a critical look at the situation in the DSS, overhauls
\nits management, administration and operations to ensure that the required
\nleadership and spirit needed to operate optimally exist in the agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe wish to note that our position is beyond politics. Security is a
\nmatter that concerns all Nigerians irrespective of political, religious
\nand ethnic affiliation and must be taken seriously in the general interest
\nof our dear nation.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis nation belongs to all of us and we, as citizens and critical
\nstakeholders must join hands, irrespective of our political differences,
\nto ensure that we give the Federal Government the required support in the
\nfight against terrorism in our country.<\/p>\n
\u201cA great nation is the dream and aspiration of every Nigerian and that was
\ndemonstrated just on Thursday, when the populace renewed their faith in
\nthe oneness and progress of the country during the 55th Independence
\nanniversary celebration.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Reacting to the last Friday\u2019s multiple suicide bombings in Nyanya and Kuje areas of Abuja which killed at least 15 people, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday blamed the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37045,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42570","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n