Coup Scare: Buhari Changes Security Details, Army Chief In Emergency Meeting With GOCS, DMI, Airforce Commands On Red Alert, Amoury Under 24-Hour Surveillance
…DSS monitors media houses, print, online publishers
In a move to pre-empt any likely coup arrangement on ground, President
Mohammadu Buhari has named new officers to man his personal security.
This is coming as the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Tukur Buratai, held an
emergency meeting with all the General Officers Commanding (GOCs) the
various army divisions in the country.
Pointblanknews.com has learned that as part of the anti-coup arrangement,
stern security measures have been put in place to ward off any move
against the government including the placement of the Directorate of
Military Intelligence DMI and Nigeria Airforce Commands on red alert.
Pointblanknews.com also gathered that President Buhari has appointed
Abdulkarim Dauda and Kayode Sikiru Akande as the new Chief Personal
Security Officer to the President and Officer in Charge of Presidential
Movement.
Both officers were promoted from assistant commissioners of police to
deputy commissioners of police before their appointment.
“It is a routine change but the President has a right to effect changes in
his personal security set up in reaction to anything at all. His security
is important and you know it”, a government source said.
The armoury in various military divisions and formations have been placed
under 24-hour security surveillance while the DMI is putting a close tab
on officers responsible for the keys to the armoury including their
movement around their barracks even as they are not allowed to exit the
barracks for any reason.
The movement of such officers were restricted between their duty post and
families as they are not allowed to embark on any trip.
In the case of any emergency health issues, such officers’ movements are
restricted to health facilities within their commands.
The same measure is applicable to the Airforce including the Tactical Air
Command in Markurdi and other Airforce formations where operational
fighter jets are located especially in the North-east where a Joint
military task force is involved in the battle against insurgents.
Further investigations revealed that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice
Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, has issued directives to the intelligence arm of
the Airforce to place a 24-hour surveillance on officers manning fighter
jets and other operational aircraft of the Airforce even as the airforce
boss later moved further to take personal charge of monitoring the
equipment and facilities.
The Navy which is usually not involved in coup issues were also instructed
to take further measures in relation to the threat posed by militant
groups especially with regards to the threat of deploying missiles
programmed to hit the nation’s capital and seat of power, Abuja.
The Department of State Security (DSS), further findings showed, is
collaborating with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the
various mobile communications networks including MTN, GLO, AIRTEL and
ETISALAT to monitor those on the security watchlist of governments
including media houses, print and online publishers and journalists
following reports of the coup plot.
The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSDC) are to follow up and
intensify their statutory duties of monitoring oil pipelines although the
poorly equipped security agency has had a dismal outing with militants
bombing such oil and gas installations at will.
Pointblanknews.com Checks have shown that the new Acting Inspector-General
of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has issued a directive to all Police Commands in
the country to resume stop and search operations on highways and states
where military facilities are located as well as Abuja.
A militant group, the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) had
alleged early in the week that some Army officers approached them to
intensify bombing of oil and gas installations in order to use it as a
justification to overthrow Buhari’s government.
Speaking with newsmen after the emergency security meeting with the GOCs,
the GOC 1 Division, Major.Gen Adeniyi Oyebade, restated the earlier
position of the army that there was no plot to oust President Buhari.
“Like you all know, the Chief of Army Staff summoned his top commanders
across the Army for a quick meeting this morning. Essentially, the
meeting was to review the security situation in the country, and to also
let us know some of the reorganisation that has taken place over the last
few days.
“Lastly, and most importantly, as you must have also heard over the last
few days, the rumours of coup or no coup; we want to assure all our
citizens that the Nigerian Army remains apolitical. Our loyalty and
allegiance to the constitutional authority of this land: the three
branches of government, Mr. President and Commander-in-Chief, are
unquestionable.
“As far as we are concerned, we have decided long before now, since the
beginning of the Fourth Republic to abide by our code of conduct and to
remain subordinate to the civil authorities.
That has not changed and it would not change. So, we want to assure our
people that the issue of coup would not happen within the ranks of the
Army and I can say also within the ranks of the members of the Nigerian
Armed Forces.”
The post Coup Scare: Buhari Changes Security Details, Army Chief In Emergency Meeting With GOCS, DMI, Airforce Commands On Red Alert, Amoury Under 24-Hour Surveillance appeared first on Pointblank News .