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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Minister of Defence, Major General Bashir Magashi( retd) has said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is engaging with the United States ( US) over its security alerts in the country.
Magashi, who stated this, on Tuesday, when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Defence for the defense of the 2023 budget estimates, was reacting to the recent security alert by the US on imminent terrorists attacks in the Federal Capital Territory ( FCT).
The Minister, while assuring the lawmakers that the government has taken steps to beef up security in the FCT and neighboring states, said the government would prefer that the US shares such security alerts what it, before it is made public.
He said “If you remember, yesterday, the security council met and we discussed this threat and it was believed that we will not take it lightly. We tried to verify the source of the threat or the pronouncement made by the US government. We tried to identify countries that were also interested in the same remarks made by the US government and we are of the opinion that the best way to go about it is to continue and where possible beef up security in Abuja and its contiguous states, that is Nassarawa, Niger and the rest of them.
“However, we believe that there is no smoke without fire and in that regard, we were able to subject the details to our intelligence organizations and they have provided answers to those areas which the government is in doubt and we realized that what we need is to be extra vigilant to prevent any activity of the bandits, from where the threat is likely, we will be able to provide enough forces that can neutralize those kinds of situations.”
