Al-Qaeda: ‘DSS, Police should be on red alert’

The Department of State Services (DSS) and the Police have been urged to be on ‘red’ alert following the report of the plan by a dreaded terror group, Al-Qaeda to infiltrate the North western part of the country.

The United States government had over the weekend warned that the violent extremist organization were seizing on Africa’s ineffective maintenance of the coronavirus pandemic to advance their goals in vulnerable societies in Nigeria and other African countries.

• We’re aware of Al-Qaeda movement in Nigeria — Military
• Al-Qaeda infiltrating northwest, US alerts Nigeria

It is in the light of this that the Coalition Against Terrorism in Nigeria (CATN) is charging the police, Department of States Services and other security agencies to be on red alert.

The anti-terrorism organisation also warned Nigerians to equally be vigilant and avoid promoting attempts by some individuals or groups to sow unwholesome propaganda at a time the military “has shoved these terrorists to obscure parts of the north.”

Speaking on behalf of the group, Barr. Abdulmalik Alfa said all hands must be on deck to compliment the efforts of the military.

According to Alfa, the police, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, DSS and other stakeholders have critical roles to play to support the troops.

“We consequently wish to state that there is an urgent need for other critical stakeholders to join hands with the Nigerian Military by extending support in areas necessary towards addressing the threats posed by the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorist group in the country.

” We wish to state that the Nigerian Police Force, as well as the DSS, have the responsibility of ensuring that they secure areas that have been cleared of Boko Haram terrorists because the operations of the Nigerian Army is mobile and not stationary. After liberating communities of Boko Haram elements, it is expected that the security of these communities automatically rests on their shoulders. ”

CATN, however, urged the international community to render genuine assistance to Nigeria due to the country’s strategic importance in the African region and among the comity of nations.

It also advised the US and others to adopt “proper channels of sharing Intel with the security agencies in Nigeria rather than going public as this would go a long way in ensuring that Nigerian citizens do not panic unnecessarily given the sensitivity of such information and the impact it would have on the psychological wellbeing of Nigerians.”

Founded in 1988, the Al-Qaeda is a transnational extremist organisation that has been designated as a terrorist group by the United Nations Security Council, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, India, and various other countries.

The group was responsible for 1998 United States embassy bombings, the September 11 attacks, the 2002 Bali bombings and many other attacks.