DON'T JUMP TO CONCLUSION – IBB

The IBB 2011 Presidential Campaign Organisation has taken a swipe at the Federal Government over the bomblast during last Friday's Golden Jubilee indepenence celebration, describing it as a manifestation of the security breakdown in the country and the lack of co-ordination of President Goodluck Jonathan-led government.

The organisation's reaction which was contained in a statement by its Director, Media and Communications, Kassim Afegbua blamed the Federal Government for jumping to conclusions by exonerating the group that claimed responsibility for the dastard act, rather than take a decisive step to arrest the ugly trend by commencing full investigation into the incident.

The statement reads: At different times, Nigerians have read different versions of the heinous crime coming from government officials.

While the President hastily exonerated the Movement for the Emmancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), saying he knew those behind the act, another government official and Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Timi Alaibe blamed the incident on one Mr. Henry Okah. Yet, the State Security Service reportedly told Nigerians that they received intelligence alert which prompted them to swing into action to avert the danger.'

The statement reads further: 'For whatever purpose it serves to fulfill, it is 'unpresidential' for Mr. President to quickly exonerate MEND which had earlier claimed responsibility for the dastard act, bearing in mind that the State Security Service (SSS) had also reportedly received tip-offs about the dangerous act. Mr. President would have immediately ordered a high-powered investigation into the matter rather than alluding the incident to terrorists' attack to give the country a bad image before the international community,' the statement notedfurther.

The discordant tunes coming from government circles, each saying a different thing without linkages and synergies do not augur well for the country's security system.