The National Security Council on Thursday, revealed that it was considering a nationwide ban on motocycles and mining to cut off the sources of funds for terrorists.
The Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, flanked by his Interior and Police Affairs counterparts, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Mohammed Dingyadi, respectively, briefed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that the meeting was focused on the logistics used by the terrorists.
Malami said the logistics used by the terrorists include motorcycles used for movement, collection of ransom and mining, which provides them the money to fund their arms supply.
The AGF said the federal government is now looking at ways to inhibit their actions by blocking the sources already identified.
Malami noted that terrorists have moved from the conventional ways of funding their activities to mining and ransom taking making it necessary for the government to act.
The AGF stated: “The issues deliberated border on one, the logistics being used by the terrorists, Boko Haram and bandits among others in the act of executing their unfortunate act of terrorism and terrorising the country.
“It was extensively deliberated upon as to what needs to be done for the purpose of ensuring that their means of logistics are indeed adequately considered and necessary steps are taken in degrading their capacity to move around.
“So, discussions were carried out, deliberations made and sizeable resolutions in that direction were equally developed.
“The government would looked into that possibility with particular regard to restriction on use and distribution of motorcycles which is the most conventional logistical means being deployed by terrorists.
“Again, issues of funding of the terrorism and the terrorism acts were discussed and deliberated upon and considered. As you rightly know, recently the government under the leadership of President Buhari had indeed, passed, assented to certain bills inclusive of the money laundering, prevention and prohibition act among others.
“With the passage of that law, and assented to, the conventional means of terrorists funding and financing was substantially and drastically addressed and that led to forensic analysis of and identification of certain personalities that were in one way or the other connected with terrorism funding and financing.
“But then, new innovations were brought into it, into the terrorists funding and financing inclusive of the use of mineral resources – the mining for example among others. And indeed, ransom, which conventionally has been taken by the terrorists, and then, the need arises to now look into those frontiers that are being considered by the terrorists for the purpose of addressing them accordingly.
“A resolution was equally developed on the need to address frontally, attack and ensure at the end of the day that other considerations being put in place by terrorists in terms of funding their activities are equally addressed.
“And with that in mind, the government is looking at what measures to take in terms of addressing, bridging and blocking associated sources of funding including payment for ransom and indeed, the mining activities and the possibility or otherwise of suspending for the time being, mining activities, are being considered as well, by the government.
“Again other than logistics and funding, mining, other considerations were equally put in place on table for consideration by council with particular regard to the unfortunate incident of the (Kuje) Correctional Service attack and equally, there were anticipated resolutions arising from the consequences associated with dereliction of duty.
“Issues associated with logistics of terrorists and bandits, issues associated with blockage of the source of funding, issues associated with the likely possible suspension of mining activities if indeed, it is a nexus and connection is indeed established and the issues associated with consequences for dereliction of duty if indeed, it is established arising from the report expected and anticipated relating to the Kuje correctional incident.”
Also speaking, the Minister of Interior, affirmed that substantial efforts went into gathering of intelligence before the recent attack on Kuje Correctional Center but regretted that there was the absence of will to act on it.
Aregbesola, who said the preliminary investigation on the attack had been submitted to the President, assured that all those who are found to have shrieked their responsibilities at the end of the ongoing investigation, would be punished.
He said: “We are on to find all those whose action or inaction led to that unfortunate incidents and by then, those who have shrieked their responsibilities will have to face the consequences of their actions.
“On intelligence, of course, we have different levels of intelligence. There is internal intelligence service, there is external intelligence service. Sufficient effort, I must say this with all sense of responsibility, sufficient effort and intelligence were made but unfortunately, for those of you that accompanied me when I visited the place, you heard that I said it very clearly that we had some problem with the will.”
He lamented that despite their presence on ground during the attack on the facility, security agencies did not fully do what was expected, saying: “I have to say that we noticed they were not fully conformed.
“So, incapacity in terms of will, that’s what we mean by whoever was responsible for the failure of defence and security and the breach of that institution’s facility will face the consequence.”
The Minister also assured that the federal government was taking necessary measures to stop the inflow of arms ans ammunition used by terrorists.
He said that the government was strengthening the nation’s land borders to prevent smuggling of light weapons and importation of contraband goods.
He added: “As of today, we are strengthening our borders to prevent any importation of arms and dangerous materials that can threaten the integrity of the nations and security of our people.
“This is not limited to Immigration alone, all security forces are at alert at various levels. Do not take your mind off the fact that we have a vast territory and that whatever is happening within Nigeria must be put in the context of what’s happening in the region.
“The federal government is not unaware of the need to strengthen the border forces to prevent aggression, or importation of contrabands, particularly arms and ammunition.”
Vanguard/Simeon Ugbodovon
