Panic in Abuja over increasing attacks

Residents of Abuja have been thrown into panic following the increasing wave of Boko Haram attacks on the city.

Saturday PUNCH gathered on Thursday that since the first attack on April 14, this year, people, who visit public places such as markets and shopping malls have been cautious of more bomb blasts by members of the terrorist sect.

The fear of residents was heightened by anonymous SMS messages which usually warn residents against attacks on some schools, markets, traffic and other crowded places.

On Monday, many residents got an alert that the militant sect was planning to attack some parts of Abuja.

Although the Federal Government had moved to allay fears caused by such messages, there was palpable tension in the city.

Residents are jittery even on hearing sounds of bursting tyres of vehicles or explosions that are not induced by bombs.

The Chairman of the National Information Centre, Mr. Mike Omeri, had at a news conference on June 27, 2014, advised the residents to disregard false alarms.

There have been three attacks by the militant sect in Abuja in the last two months.

For two years, there was respite in the city after the sect’s attack on THISDAY office in April 2012.

But the recent wave of attacks has sent jitters down the spines of residents.

The fears of residents became worse following a statement by the Boko Haram leader, Sheik Abubakar Shekau, after the April 14, 2014 attack.

Shekau had in a video released on April 19, 2014, boasted that the sect members had arrived in Abuja to carry out more attacks.

Our correspondent observed that the terrorist attacks had made security agencies to intensify checks on vehicles along major roads, including Nyanya-Maraba and Airport expressways, causing heavy traffic.

A commercial motorist, David Ibekwe, described the checkpoints as “necessary evil” which must be borne on account of the insecurity in the country.

Another resident, Lambert Godwin, called for a review of the security strategy on the insurgency, noting that the checkpoints have failed to improve the security of lives and property in the FCT.

According to him, terrorists have been able to beat the checkpoints to launch three attacks in Abuja.

To the Secretary-General, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Adeniyi Yusuf, the traffic caused by checkpoints in the FCT were affecting the operations of commercial buses.

He, however, described the traffic as necessary to check terrorists from carrying out further attacks on the city.

The Head, Marketing Communication, Abuja Urban Mass Transport Company Limited, Tunde Akintola, explained that the growing traffic gridlock in Abuja had affected the operations of the firm. According to him, it takes two hours for AUMTCL buses to move from Nyanya to Berger bus stop, a trip that ordinarily takes about 20 minutes.

The Nigeria Labour Congress had advised security agencies against traffic build-ups.

The NLC had, in a statement by its Secretary General, Chris Uyot, advised security personnel at checkpoints to be vigilant in order to prevent the creation of opportunities for terrorists to carry out their destructive plans.

Meanwhile, the management of the National Assembly in Abuja had directed that fresh measures should be taken to prevent the complex from being attacked.

Part of the measures, as observed by our correspondent in the last few weeks, included the compulsory wearing of identification cards by all members of staff and strict restriction, to the barest minimum, visitors entering into the complex.