The vow by Boko Haram to bomb Abuja during the course of the 2019 general election is an empty boast, Nigerian Police authorities have said.
A message about the imminent attacks read: “Dear Abuja residents, information just procured revealed that Boko Haram have been promising to attack Abuja before 2019 elections. Boko Haram, now West African ISIS, released a new video promising to attack Abuja before 2019 elections; the new Boko Haram leader Al Barnawi said this in a new video released by the group.
“While speaking in Hausa, he said before the 2019 elections, his group would have an attack on the federal capital, the Nigerian Army cannot stop them from having their attack. You are strongly advised to take all the necessary precautions to ensure that crowded areas and political gathering are as much as possible avoided. You are further advised to monitor places like malls, markets, hotels, schools. We should also report any suspicious characters to the security agencies. Faith-based places should also bring this to the notice of all worshippers to be on alert at all times.”
However, the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba has told Abuja residents and other Nigerians to disregard the message which is being circulated on social media.
According to The Sun, Mba said that the force had put in place measures to counter any terrorist activity aimed at disrupting the 2019 electoral process.
He assured Nigerians of their safety before, during and after the election.
“The general election is a major security task ahead of the force. The IGP, Mohammed Adamu, expressly acknowledged this in his maiden speech to the nation. Our task in this regard is to ensure peaceful, crisis-free and violence-free elections, before, during and post-elections. We are absolutely committed to this mission. Consequently, adequate security measures have been put in place to identify, isolate and neutralise all possible secuity threats to the peaceful conduct of the elections.
“Both the operational and intelligence units of the force have been mobilised for this crucial national assignment. Nigerians are, therefore, enjoined to continue to support the police in this regard and report any suspicious move to the relevant security agencies,” Mba said.
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