by Akan Ido

The Federal Government today warned residents of Abuja about a possible attack by the Boko Haram Islamic sect which has declared was on the country.

This was revealed today by Mike Omeri, the Coordinator of the National Information Centre, and Director General of the National Orientation Agency during a media briefing in Abuja.

Omeri was giving an update in the status of the government’s fight against insurgency and the rescue of over 230 schoolgirls kidnapped from the Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014.

According to Omeri, the insurgents plan to hijack fully loaded petrol tankers from their drivers, plant explosives in them and move the vehicles to destinations where they are expected to cause extensive destruction of lives and property.

“The Nigerian security services have received intelligence report to the effect that insurgents intend seizing petrol tankers and plant Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in the tankers and drive them to crowded places in Abuja,” Omeri said.

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Omeri urged members of Petrol Tankers Association to be on red alert and advised them to report any attempt or seizure of their vehicles to the security agencies.

Members of the public are also advised to report any broken down tanker in any part of the territory to security agencies.

“We are using this opportunity to appeal to the public to be on the alert, particularly when they see any tanker driving dangerously,” he said.

The spokesman for the Department of State Services, Ms Marilyn Ogar, who is also a member of the information committee, reacted to the suspected insurgents who were arrested in Abia State, saying they were actually 491 in number, including five infants and five women.

Omeri, who also commented on the suspects, describing them as travellers, said the arrest was not targeted at any group of persons or individuals.

He revealed that during interrogation of the suspects, a notorious insurgent who had been profiled by the DSS since 2007 and had been on the agency’s watch-list was identified.

“This led to further questioning of the large movement of persons travelling in a convoy of over 30 buses with none of them having up to N1,000 on them,” he said.

Reacting to Tuesday’s suicide bombing in a football viewing centre in Yobe State, Omeri explained that the attack left 10 persons dead and 30 others injured.

He called on state governors to emulate the Adamawa state governor to place a ban on football viewing centres.

Also, Omeri revealed that two girls were that kidnapped in Abuja last week have been released, while the abductors are presently with the security agencies for further investigation.

He debunked media report that security agents arrested some persons in Ekiti State thumb-printing ahead of the Saturday election.