TheCable

Marilyn Ogar, the spokesperson of the Department of State Security Service, has said that it takes only God to track down terrorists and foil their plots.

She said the items terrorists use in making bombs might be smuggled in bits making it difficult for security operatives to confiscate them.

Ogar, who was speaking alongside her counterpart, Frank Mba, the Nigeria police spokesman, at the site of the bomb blast in Abuja on Thursday said: “About two weeks ago we had information that they were planning an attack at a busy shopping mall or market; and of course you know what the police proceeded to do with the markets.

“And so we had to go from one shopping complex to another trying to tell people to be more aware, and to ensure that anybody that does not have any business to do within any complex is not allowed to go inside.

“Every day a surveillance team would go round the motor parks, the super markets and markets trying to ensure that the instructions we have left behind must be adhered to.

“And yesterday the surveillance team was here (site of the blast) up till about 12:30pm observing, and when they noticed that the security people on duty here were enforcing it they had to retreat.”

Ogar also disclosed that the kingpin of the group of terrorists who were apprehended in Abia had been captured in Bauchi.

She declined to say the name of the kingpin, adding that investigation was still ongoing.

She appealed to Nigerians to provide security agents with information that will help track down terrorists and foil their plots.

Mba advised managers of big cinemas, busy business malls, and other big corporate entities that record a lot of visitors to “institute strict access regime that would serve as a deterrent to would-be terrorists”.

He also advised them to go a step further to install close-circuit televisions, adding that it would be of great value.