The meeting comes on the heels of heightened regime of insecurity in the country
By Emma Ogbuehi
Rattled by the rising spate of insecurity manifested by unceasing terrorists’ attacks on strategic facilities in Abuja and other parts of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has summoned a meeting of the National Security Council.
The meeting which is being presided over by the President, is holding at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to the Nation, Service Chiefs and other keys aides to the President are in the meeting.
They include, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (retd).
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Others are the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema; Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi and Minister of Defense, Major General Bashir Magashi (Rtd).
Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo; the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao; and the Chief of Defense Intelligence, Major General Samuel Adebayo, are also in attendance.
Also in attendance are the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman; the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.
The meeting comes on the heels of heightened regime of insecurity in the country. On Tuesday, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), placed all its state commands on alert, following intelligence reports that Boko Haram terrorists and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), had perfected plans to attack Abuja, and five other states, including Lagos.
Before the alarm from the NSCDC, terrorists had launched attacks on the troops of 7 Guards Battalion and 176 Battalion of Brigade of Guards, Abuja, on Sunday, July 24. According to military sources, the insurgents had ambushed troops attached to the Brigade, as they were conducting patrols in Bwari area Abuja, following intelligence that the Nigeria Law School, Bwari, might be attacked.
Authorities of the Law School had alerted on impending attacks by terrorists when they dropped a letter to that effect. It was in response to the distress call by the School and residents of the area that the troops who were combing the vicinity to locate and flush out the terrorists, were attacked.
Various figures have been bandied on the number of personnel lost in the encounter. An Army Captain, a Lieutenant and five soldiers were however reported as victims.
The Brigade of Guards, is an elite corps of soldiers that ensures the security of the President. The offensive at the troops, came less than three weeks after the advance security team of the President was ambushed in Dutsinma axis of his Katsina State, on Tuesday, July 5, when he was to go on Sallah holiday. Kuje Correctional Centre was also attacked the same day and over 64 Boko Haram Commanders released from the facility.