A Panhard VBL M11 of the Special Task Force – OP SAFE HAVEN(Jos Plateau) at the Terminus area of Jos
NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
Wednesday, 26 December 2012
Plateau residents joined their counterparts the world over to mark the Christmas yesterday morning amidst tight security, especially in Jos metropolis.
Our correspondents covering the festivities report that there had also been some aerial surveillance on the state with helicopters hovering in the skies to ensure peaceful festivities. It was observed that as early as 6 am, securitymen were stationed on major streets of Rayfield, Bukuru, Hwolshe, Tudun-Wada, Zarmaganda and Farin Gada. Also being policed by the fierce- looking security agents were areas like Dokon Karfe, Abbatoir, Bauchi Road, Rukuba settlement, Angwan- Rogo among others.
Inside most of the settlements, gaily dressed Christians were seeing moving to well guarded churches for worship. It was observed also that the atmosphere was calm with no incident reported anywhere and the festivity began since Monday with various groups and religious organisations organising all manners of events to herald the festivity.
To ensure that the ceremony is hitchfree, the Special Task Force (STF) maintaining the peace in Plateau issued a statement where it advised residents to report any suspicious movement in their vicinities. The STF also banned the entry of vehicles into the premises of recreation centres during the period, and promised that its men would be posted to the centres to complement efforts of local security operatives.
The Task Force also banned the use of fireworks and bangers during the Yuletide, and promised severe consequences to those caught selling or using the device.
I cannot but commend the combined defence and security forces operation which yielded a success rate in excess of 95% on Christmas Day and at a time when terrorists normally declare open season on the Christian minority in the North.
Not a single suicide attack on the D-Day itself, fears of which had been heightened by the Xmas Eve attack on a church near Potiskum.
Last October when we had the Eid festivities as well and on the day of the Eid prayers itself, we similarly recorded no suicide attacks. It was on the day after when the durbars and festivities took place that we recorded a botched attack on a military patrol van at Mubi.
Thank God for this nice turn of events. Our people need to strive to keep this as the REGULAR standard on every Sunday and every Friday. I feel sorry for all the newshounds who had a boring day yesterday since there was no bad news to report, so that they find cause to say “aha..we told you so”
Kudos to everyone who played a role in the hugely successful Xmas Day security operations…church security committees, neighbourhood vigilante services, cops, SSS, civil defenders, airmen, seamen and soldiers.
Hats off to you all and keep an eye on the New Year’s Eve vigil services which take place at night. Daunting but not impossible to pull off. Yes, you can..so go for it, people. Well done and sustain the tempo. This is what it REALLY means to be “on top of the situation”, nothing else
Mural of the Story: In the face of a barrage of demoralising reports, it is difficult not to have one’s spirit dampened. After only two years of CT operations, nobody who is worth listening to can say that you have not progressed remarkably well.
* Britain fought the IRA for 28 years. They have no basis to goad you into any solutions which are not in our nation’s best interest. If they were so concerned about civilian casualties, why did they not cave in and dialogue with the IRA during the bloodiest 1969-72 epoch?
* India have been facing 11 insurgencies in Kashmir, the Northeast and elsewhere. They have been fighting Naxalite rebels for 45 years and it took 20 years before the Kashmiri terrorists were conclusively weakened to the point of being a manageable threat. Indian forces are still paying the price for the Kashmir turnaround
http://dawn.com/2012/12/09/latest-human-rights-report-embarrassing-for-
india/
* Turkey have been battling Kurdish PKK rebels since 1983 – nearly 3 decades. The insurgency rages on.
* Pakistan and Afghanistan have been battling Taliban/Al Qaeda terrorists since 2001. They continue to sustain greater losses than we do in Nigeria but are not interested in caving in to terrorists.
http://worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/8490/no-shortcuts-for-pakistan-on-counterterrorism
* Sri Lanka received the most damning coverage of all when she was on the cusp of defeating LTTE terrorists after a gruelling 26 year conflict. Apparently, the little island nation had to be distracted from an unlikely victory against a suicidal LTTE, so a mammoth campaign of calumny championed by LTTE sympathisers, journalists and human rights activists did EVERYTHING to distract that country’s military from pursuing battlefield outcomes. Nigeria must not be distracted.
* Mighty Israel have been battling Palestinian insurrectionists for 45 years. There are many explanations for that but I have not heard even the most reckless or dismissive Western journalist describe this unending insurgency as military incapacitation. With Nigeria, after 2 years, we are supposed to wipe out suicidal insurrectionists. The IRA had no suicide bombers yet they were in business for 28 years.
* Russia, mighty Russia have been battling insurgents for over a decade in the Caucasus – Dagestan, Chechnya etc.
That is the global picture, so Nigerian forces be self-confident and in the end, you shall overcome and earn respect for yourselves. Do not expect validation from Western journalists and rights activists. Be benevolent and courteous to civilians. Be ruthless to terrorists. National reconciliation shall follow later. No guts, no glory. WORK IN UNISON.
“Nobody ever clapped with one hand”
amen my brother amen