TheCable

Mike Omeri, director-general of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and coordinator of the national information centre, says Islamic State (IS) is not operating in Nigeria at the moment, dispelling fears that Boko Haram may have join forces with the group to wreak havoc on the country.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, Omeri stated that “the latest attempt by Boko Haram to identify with the group was an act of desperation aimed at seeking attention and possible assistance from outside in the face of the crushing defeat it is suffering in the hands of the Nigerian armed forces and other regional collaborators.”

“The centre has noted the latest audio recording posted online by the insurgent group, Boko Haram where they pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (IS). We wish to state that there is no evidence that the IS operates in Nigeria,” he said.

“The fact of the matter is that Nigeria and its neighbours are pushing the insurgents away from their strongholds, capturing many of them and destroying several of their facilities.

“The government, therefore, wishes to assure Nigerians that this tempo will be sustained until every presence of Boko Haram insurgency is totally obliterated in Nigeria. The only nation that will exist in Nigeria is a united federal republic of Nigeria which demands the cooperation, commitment and patriotism of all its citizens.”

Omeri urged Nigerians to be vigilant owing to the reason that the displaced terrorists might be seeking soft targets to attack.

“We continue to urge Nigerians to exercise extra vigilance especially at this period when our security forces continue to fish out members of the group who might have been embedded in the society, and whose activities have given rise to the recent bombing incidents within Maiduguri and other locations in the northeast zone,” he said.

“The centre, therefore, strongly reminds all Nigerians to exercise more scrutiny of persons and movements, especially within their areas of business and worship, particularly, motor park and market managers all over the country must step up the level of security within their business premises, while religious authorities need to put in place more effective security cordon around places of worship to ensure the safety of the adherents.”

He disclosed that about eight people were arrested on Wednesday around Customs Area in Maiduguri, Borno state, by men of the civilian joint task force (JTF) following the interrogation of two teenage suspected bombers who confessed that they were given the bomb by one Hassan Mai Doya of Customs Area to plant somewhere in Maiduguri metropolis.

“The suspects are now being interrogated by the security agents,” he added.