Blasts: Jonathan deploys Defence chief in Jos

News By Punch

The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, on Thursday arrived in Jos, Plateau State, for on the spot assessment of the twin bomb blasts that left more than 100 people dead and 50 others injured on Tuesday.

 

The Coordinator of the National Information Centre for the ongoing war against insurgents, Mr. Mike Omeri, told journalists at a news conference in Abuja, that Badeh was directed to do so by President Goodluck Jonathan . Omeri also warned Nigerians against circulating photographs and information capable of subverting the war against insurgency in the country. According to him, relevant agencies will investigate the sources of the photographs of soldiers circulating in the social media who were said to have died in the war against insurgency in the country. He said, “Following the incident in Jos, Mr. President has directed the CDS to proceed to Jos for further assessment of the situation on the ground. “The Inspector-General of Police(Mohammed Abubakar) had earlier visited the scene of the blasts . These are all parts of the   efforts by the government in uncovering the authors of the crime, bringing comfort and succour to our people and in the long run, helping to defeat terrorism and other forms of criminality.

 

“The centre notes the emerging trend of misleading photographs by the media to illustrate their stories. The truth is that these photographs create wrong impressions in the minds of members of the public about the efforts of the government in checking the current security challenge in the country. “Similarly, we take this opportunity to appeal to the media as well as government officials and all other groups to refrain from releasing any kind of information that will harm ongoing operations against insurgency in our country. “The Nigerian government welcomes the growing support from the international community for Nigeria’s effort to locate and secure the release of the schoolgirls abducted from Chibok.” Asked whether the government had opened informal talks with Boko Haram, Omeri said while all the cards were still on the table, the government remained committed to international best practices in relating with terror organisations.

 

He said, “The government has stated its position on this issue. Men and women are out there combing everywhere, collaborating with international support. “As far as we are concerned in this issue, all options are still open and we will apply international best practices as they affect similar situations all over the world. “The result of this international cooperation will be the rescue of the schoolgirls and the restoration of peace and normalcy in our sub-region.” In Jos, Badeh said the resurgence of bombings outside the   North-East was an indication that   Boko Haram members were being dislodged from their hideouts. He   assured Nigerians that the military was capable of overcoming the security challenges facing the country. Badeh, who visited   the scene and victims of the blasts,   said   the   fight against terror required patience and perseverance. He added, “The insurgents are moving out of the North-East because of the pressure the military is putting on them. So the zone is no longer a safe haven for them to operate and they are moving to other softer targets and we will follow them.

 

“Fight against insurgency is not something you win in one day, but we will eventually overcome. Some people have fought it for over 40 years and they are still at it. “For Nigeria, we started our own over a year ago by declaring a state of emergency and we have already done so much in the North-East, that the insurgents are running from there to look for softer targets. “My impression is that they are cowards, because they are coming to the market to   kill people . What they are trying to do is to intimidate us, but you know that terror will not deter us from being Nigerians. Meanwhile, the University of Jos authorities have declared Friday (today) as a lecture free day in honour of students who lost their lives and those injured in the bomb blasts. A statement by the Deputy Registrar, Information and Communication, Mr. Steve Otowo, said the period would also be used to conduct a head count of all the students of the university to determine those involved in the incident.

 

He said that the UNIJOS authorities had commiserated with the families of the victims of the blasts. Meanwhile, the authorities are still looking for the corpses of five of the seven students of Medical Laboratory Science Department killed by the explosions. The Acting Pesident of the Student Union Government, Williams Lar, told one of our correspondents that   only the corpses of Michael Ogbole and Francisca Nwafor, had been identified. Lar, who added that   the parents   of Ogbole and Nwafor had been notified, said that a fresh graduate of the university, Joy Mako, was   currently on admission at Our Lady of Apostle Hospital, Jos.

 

He said that   Jimlong Dayol of   the Architecture Department and   Jumai Audu, a member of staff of the Consultancy Department of UNIJOS were also still on admission. Lar added that a student of the Pharmacy Department, identified as Tercee, had not been seen since the blasts. The PUNCH gathered that Tercee, whose real name is   Echuku   Bala, was to have her traditional wedding on Friday (today) and church wedding on June 7.