TheCable

The Nigerian Army says there is nothing to worry about over claims of terrorists infiltrating Oyo state. 

The Aare Onakakanfo Council led by Gani Adams had claimed that members of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) were now in the Oke-Ogun area of the state.

The council urged governors of the south-west and those of Kogi and Kwara states to tell residents of their states to get gun licences in self-defence against the said criminals.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, John Enenche, coordinator of defence media operations (DMO), said there is nothing novel about the allegation.

According to him, the council is only “magnifying” the alert by the US that the Al-Qaeda insurgent group has started penetrating the north-western part of Nigeria.

Enenche said even if the claims were to be true, the military is prepared to tackle the situation.

He urged people to rest assured of the military’s prowess while seeking their cooperation in its fight against insecurity.

“From the report I have, it is just that one where the U.S. AFRICOM advised and cautioned us about, so I believe that is what people are magnifying. But I can tell you that we have put machinery in place together with other security agencies,” Enenche said.

“So, we should be careful, because we get such stories every day, which may be fake, though it could be true, we don’t overlook such things.

“My response is that it is not new and if it is new, tell the public that we have every machinery in place together with other security agencies, as usual, to handle it with their cooperation.”