Abuja Residents Live in Fear After Suicide Bombing

18 June 2011

Residents of the FCT on Friday expressed shock over Thursday’s bomb blast at the Police Headquarters in Abuja.

A cross-section of those who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the incident said it was an indication that the lives of Nigerians were not safe.

Mallam Sadi Yakassai, a civil servant, said that the fact that a bomb could explode in the premises of the Nigerian police headquarters meant that lives of people were not safe.

“This is a clear indication that in Nigeria now, we don’t have security as of now. Since October 1, it has been happening. It happened in the past in military barracks, now in the police headquarters, we don’t even know where it will happen again.

“So definitely, there is no security at all. The government is supposed to take the proper measure, which is supposed to be the police, whether it is a lapse from the security agencies or any other agency, they are supposed to find out.

“Every passing year, governments are spending huge amount of money for security, but there is no positive impact pertaining security in Nigeria.”

Another civil servant who spoke to NAN, Mallam Musa Shehu, described the incident as unfortunate, stating that government needed to tackle the challenge of security in the country.

“It’s a slap on our security system in the country, because this is the force headquarters, so if this thing will happen here, then who is safe, so this is what people have been imagining.

“Does it mean that government does not give them money for security? Where the IG is staying, so this is the whole thing that is bordering the people now.

“What about the ordinary man on the street? How safe is he? If where the real man is staying is not secured, does it mean that they don’t give them funds for security or that they cannot buy the devices for that particular area?”

Charles Okonkwo, an unemployed youth said that the incident was a call to the Federal Government to strengthen the security agencies in the country.

He said that for the incident to happen at the Force headquarters, it means that some people were not serious with their job.

“There are so many unemployed Nigerians who are out there like me looking for Job. Government can invest in us and ensure that the security of the country is improved,” he said.

Others who spoke on condition of anonymity said they wanted government to adopt a new approach in handling security issues in the country.

NAN reports that there has been a restriction in entering some offices in the Abuja metropolis since the incident.

At the CBN, vehicles and people who were on official appointments were not allowed into the premises. An official of the apex bank who pleaded anonymity told NAN that all appointments had been cancelled for security reasons.

“You heard what happened. We have to take very good security measures. CBN is a sensitive office, so we want to restrict influx of people and vehicles into the premises for now,” he said.

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