Bomb explosions: ‘Nigerians must begin to defend themselves’

Security experts have called on Nigerians to rise up and defend themselves in the face of rising security challenges in the country.

While speaking on Channels Television‘s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, a retired Director of the Department of State Services, Mike Ejiofor and a retired Brigadier General of the Nigerian Army, Jonathan Temlong, said Nigeria was returning to the 2013-2014 era when soft targets were being hit by terrorists.

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There have been three bomb attacks in Taraba and Yobe states in the past week and the security experts feel they were not a coincidence but well-planned attacks on soft targets.

According to Temlong, the Nigerian government must build the capacity of Nigerians to assist in securing the country.

“We, as a people, must defend ourselves, we should take proactive measures to secure our environment.

“It’s impossible for security agencies to be everywhere and that is why Nigerians should be vigilant and take security seriously.

“The Nigerian state must build the capacity of citizens to deal with things like these,” he said.

On his part, Ejiofor said the terrorists were moving to other areas following the attacks on them by troops in Borno, adding that they have now moved to the Northwest and North Central.

He lamented that Nigerians have laid down their guards following the bombing experiences in 2013 and 2014.

Ejiofor said: “In 2014, people took security into their own hands by being conscious.

“The security agencies should awaken the consciousness of the people. We are not asking people to take up arms, we are asking them to be alert to what goes on in their environment.”