IN what appears a conscious security measure to check the recent threat of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to bomb Abuja, the Nigerian Police during the week issued a strong warning saying that such an attempt would amount to suicide mission.
Sequel to the threat which MEND anchored on its aversion for what it described as unwanted activities of Julius Berger, a major construction company in Nigeria, the Federal Government during the week held a security meeting with all the security agencies in Abuja during which it was decided that all the inlets into Abuja be cordoned off, with security surveillance heavily mounted with armoured carriers placed at every sensitive area within the capital territory. In addition, security agents according to the Sunday Tribune investigation, now patrol the city on 24 hours basis while also conduct ing stop and search on vehicles going out and coming into the city especially those with tinted glasses.
A security officer, who spoke to Sunday Tribune on condition of anonymity, confirmed the situation saying that �we are on top of the situation as to be fore- warned is to be fore armed�.
�You can see what those characters are doing in the Niger Delta. If they try it in Abuja, it will spell disaster for our image and this may scare away potential investors from Nigeria and that is why we have placed our men on alert.
�It would be suicidal for any group to test our might,� the security officer warned.
It would be recalled that last week the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) issued a warning to the Federal Government threatening to bomb the Federal Capital Territary Abuja, if a foreign construction company, Julius Berger was not relieved of its on-going contracts in Abuja and sent packing.
According to the group, �our directive should not be difficult for Julius Berger to obey since it had decided to leave areas where its staff were being harassed.�
�The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) serves notice today, Monday, August 4, 2008 to German construction firm, Julius Berger Plc to vacate all project sites in the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja effective 0001 hrs on Monday, August 11, 2008.
�In line with their policy of withdrawing from areas of harassment in Nigeria, this should not be a difficult directive after the incident on Friday, August 1, 2008 when one of its vehicles was burnt by an irate mob in Abuja.
�MEND expects Julius Berger, a company which has benefited tremendously from the Niger Delta region where its crude oil was used as barter payment in most cases for the building of Abuja, to apply the same policy of leaving troubled areas as it did when it recently quit the Niger Delta region.
�Failure to vacate its staff from construction sites and halt all on-going projects in the FCT, Abuja on the deadline will result in unprecedented deadly attacks on the expartriate staff of Julius Berger inside Abuja and other parts of the country until they comply,� MEND added.
Sunday Tribune gathered that the security men detailed by the Federal Government to watch over Abuja are from the Special Anti- Terrorism Squad and other security outfits.