By Desire Emmanuel
The Nigerian Army on Monday, May 25, warned on the possibility of attacks by suicide bombers and the use of inprovised explosive devices at crowded places during the Eid-el-Kabir festivals scheduled to hold on Wednesday, May 27.
The army disclosed this in a statement following what it described as credible intelligence reports available to it, urging Muslim faithful and other citizens to be very vigilant during the festivities.
According to the Nigerian Army, the intelligence reports indicated the possibility of isolated attempts by remnant Boko Haram terrorists and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) elements to exploit the period to carry out attacks against civilian targets.
The insurgents plan to do these using suicide bombers and IEDs, particularly in areas of high population concentration. The army, through the Theatre Command in the North-East, said it assures the public that these threats have been thoroughly anticipated by the various troops at the sections of the command.
“Ahead of Wednesday’s celebrations, troops have been forward-deployed to critical and vulnerable locations across all sectors of the Theatre, surveillance and ISR assets have been fully activated, patrols have been intensified, and security forces are operating in close coordination with sister agencies, the CJTF, and community vigilance groups to forestall any threat and guarantee a secure festive period for all residents,” the Nigerian Army said in the statement.
In addition, the army advised members of the public to observe various security guidance in the days leading up to and throughout the celebrations, including to conduct Eid prayers and festivities as close to their homes and familiar areas as possible, and avoid large gatherings where practicable.
It added that faithful should also exercise heightened vigilance in crowded public spaces such as markets, motor parks, banking halls, and prayer grounds while they should also report any suspicious persons, unattended objects, or unusual movements to the nearest military checkpoint, police station, or civil-military liaison point immediately.
“The Theatre Command calls on traditional rulers, religious leaders, media organisations and community stakeholders to actively engage their communities and encourage the timely reporting of credible security information ahead of and during the celebration period. Your cooperation with security forces remains invaluable to the success of ongoing operations,” it stated.
