Security Council hails current strategy against insecurity

The National Security Council has passed a vote of confidence on the current strategy adopted by security forces to tackle insecurity, which it observed, has brought relative peace to the country.

Briefing correspondents on the outcome of the National Security Council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who was joined by his Police Affairs counterpart, Mohammed Dingyadi, said the council noted with satisfaction the performance of the security agencies and the gains they have recorded in recent times.

He said the council also commended the police for their good performance in states where elections were conducted recently.

Aregbesola said the council is concerned about the remaining victims of kidnapping in the country, particularly those abducted in the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, noting that no effort will be spared to rescue them alive.

He assured that the assailants will not go scot-free as they will be dealt with in due course.

The Minister said the council warned the National Task Force on the prohibition of illegal importation/smuggling of arms, ammunition,  light weapons, chemicals and pipeline vandalism (NATFORCE) to disband itself to force the government to act.

Recall that despite protests from security experts, the Senate had in June passed into law the bill establishing the National Commission for the Coordination and Control of the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons, which has as one of its components, the NATFORCE.

The House of Representatives is expected to pass its version upon its resumption from the current break.

Also speaking, the Minister of Police Affairs, said the arrest and detention of the main negotiator with terrorists, Tukur Mamu, does not mean contact will be lost with the abductors, revealing that there are others who are the go-between between them and stakeholders.

More details to come later…