Tinubu urges joint war against terrorism
By Uduma Kalu
LAGOS State Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerians to exhibit practical commitment to tackle the menace of terrorism.
He said it was childish for anybody to continue to assume that the menace of terrorism was perpetrated only in the industrialised nations as "the events between 1995 and 1998 in Nigeria has disproved this".
Tinubu, who spoke on Wednesday at the launching of a book "Terrorism: The Nigerian Experience (1995-1998)" said the task of ensuring security of lives and property is a collective responsibility.
According to the governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, A.B. Panox, it was time for Nigerians to come out of the delusion that security is a government business.
He stressed the need for collaboration among government, corporate bodies and individuals for effective security of lives and property in the country.
"There is no immunity against terrorism attack, events of 1995 to 1998 have proved that Nigeria is vulnerable," the governor stated.
Tinubu commended the author of the book, Mr. Frank Oshanugor, for putting the publication together at an auspicious time when terrorism is again rearing its ugly head in different forms in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Chris Ifeadi, raised an alarm over what he called the gradual emergence of economic and political terrorism in the country.
Ifeadi said those who looted the treasury and had continued to use the public office to make life unbearable for the citizens were all terrorists.
He joined the calls for the convocation of a sovereign national conference by Nigerians across the country, saying it was becoming "difficult each passing day for credible Nigerians to stand out".
The reviewer of the book, Dr. Osita Agbu of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, stressed the need for Nigeria to assess its attitude to terrorism. He asked government to examine its security on its borders and West African sub-region as there is now a perceived global danger, which needs vigilance.
Agbu said "such areas as the Niger Delta and the religious restiveness in the country, all dictate that the country must sustain its fight against terrorism".
The author said he wrote the book as a modest effort to supply Nigerians and the world details of the bomb blasts that roared the nation during the administration of late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.
"The book is a modest attempt which tries to afford Nigerians of today, the future and indeed the world at large a handy collection of the details of the various bomb incidents that occurred within a particular period in Nigeria's history," he added.
More than N1 million was realised at the book launch, which was attended by people from all walks of life.
