Boko Haram: Fear & Anxiety Spreads As Presidency, Senators Clash Over Impeachment Threat

Senators on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, threatened to impeach the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), over the worsening insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and the country at large.

The angry senator, who are in the opposition, gave the President a six-week ultimatum to address the security crisis or face impeachment proceedings.

Opposition senators issued the ultimatum on Wednesday as fears over insecurity in Abuja worsened with the government ordering schools to shut to prevent attacks by terrorists.

The Presidency in a statement by the President’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, described the action of the opposition senators as babyish, advising them to put their time to a better use.

The nation’s capital had been gripped by fear following the attack by suspected terrorists on the elite Presidential Guards Brigade by gunmen along the Bwari-Kubwa road on Sunday in which a captain, lieutenant and six soldiers were killed.

Three others were injured in The personnel were on their way to the Bwari campus of the Nigeria Law School which had received a threat when they were ambushed.

Following this development, the security forces Tuesday deployed troops and policemen in strategic locations in the FCT, including helicopters and drones.

Also on Tuesday night, there were reports of sporadic shootings at Dantata Bridge, Airport road and Ministers’ Hill, Maitama, sparking panic among residents.

Similarly, a leaked memo from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps indicating that Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province terrorists were amassing dangerous weapons for massive attacks on Katsina, Lagos, FCT, Kaduna, and Zamfara States, created further fear in Abuja.

The criminals were reported to have acquired high-calibre weapons, including Anti-aircraft guns, General Purpose Machine Guns, among others.

Tension has, however, increased in the city as messages circulated on social media that the terrorists were planning to attack some estates in Gwarimpa, Lokogoma, Maitama, Apo and other high brow areas.

Security guards and residents of estates in the area expressed concern over the poor security in Abuja, saying the government must sit up.

Recall that on July 5, terrorists attacked the medium correctional centre (Kuje prison) in Abuja and killed at least one person while many others were injured.

During the attack, over 800 inmates including members of Boko Haram and the bloodthirsty Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgents, being remanded in the facility were let loose.

There has been a series of killing and kidnapping incidents in many parts of the territory, particularly in Kwali and Bwari Area Council of the FCT.

More worrisome was the attack on some officials of the 7 Guards Battalion of the Nigerian Army Presidential Guards Brigade on Friday when at least five soldiers were killed leaving several others injured.

The incident, which took place late Friday night around the Bwari Area Council of Abuja, left three soldiers wounded and eight personnel killed.

In another incident, two army captains and one soldier, died as heroes after battling insurgents around the Kubwa-Bwari Road, near Abuja, while on routine patrol on Sunday night.

Many residents no longer go about their daily activities for fear of being attacked by daredevil terrorists who are suspected to have infiltrated the city and are hibernating, waiting to attack.

Clubs and other nightlife activities are beginning to fold up owing to the lack of patronage as fear of more attacks envelops the territory. 

Intelligence reports have also emerged that Boko Haram, Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) and bandits are currently planning to attack some States in Nigeria, particularly, the FCT.

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) raised the alarm in a memo issued to Commands across the country on Tuesday.

However, in a move to douse the tension, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Alkali Baba Usman, ordered an additional deployment of assets to strategic areas of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi the IGP stated that the force is “not leaving any stone unturned to fortify the Federal Capital Territory and its environs”.

It was learnt that the hoodlums  in large numbers and on motorcycles raided the village between Monday and Tuesday unchallenged.