TheCable

Usman Baba, inspector-general of police, has expressed concern over the ability of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) to fire rockets in communities in Borno state.

ISWAP had launched multiple rocket attacks in Maiduguri, the state capital, hours before the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Borno.

Many houses were destroyed by the explosives that landed in different areas including Ngomari, Bulumkutu, Ajilari, and Ayafe communities.

Fielding questions on Friday at the end of the emergency security council meeting presided over by Buhari at the presidential villa, Baba said the ability of the terrorists to strike with rockets is worrisome.

He, however, said the insurgents were unable to achieve their objectives.

“They are launching it in major towns, they are launching it in Maiduguri. It is a concern. And it has been seriously checkmated. There are efforts to continuously checkmate it,” Baba said.

“Yes, they have done it, but to a large extent they have not achieved what they intended to achieve because of the situation the security agencies, particularly the military, put in place.”

Asked if the security agencies have been able to determine the origins of the rockets, Baba said: “Yes, it had been done before and even after. Some of those who must have planned and thrown those rockets have been taken out.”

The police boss assured that the security agencies are trying to improve on what they are already doing “to ensure there is peace, law and order during the yuletide period and beyond”.

He reiterated Buhari’s orders to security agencies that the insurgents must not be spared.

“The marching orders are always the same. It has always been the same. There is no space, there is no tolerance to any threat to security,” he said.

“There is no sparing of any terrorists and there must be an intelligence gathering, there must be proactive prevention of crime and there must be checkmating of all those that are involved in criminal activities, whether it be terrorism, banditry or armed robbery or whatever and that is what we are trying to do to the best of our knowledge and ability.”