TERROR ATTACK: PRESIDENCY BEEFS UP SECURITY IN ASO ROCK
The Presidency on Tuesday order
ed that extra security measures be put in place inside the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abuja to avoid terrorists attack.
The Chief Security Officer to the President, Bashir Abubakar, gave the directive in a memo dated January 26, 2016.
In the memo, Abubakar directed that all vehicles entering the Presidential Villa, including those of highly placed persons, must henceforth be thoroughly checked.
According to him, most of the major attacks by terrorist groups around the world against high profile targets were done with hijacked vehicles or tinted vehicles.
The circular titled: “Use of tinted cars around the Presidential Villa, Abuja” reads: “It has been observed that some staff of the Presidential Villa driving tinted cars, especially security personnel are in the habit of refusing to wind down their windscreen for security checks before driving into the Villa.
“It is most worrisome that some of them use the excuse of either driving official cars or driving VIPs to justify their acts.
“This act, which is not in tandem with standard security drill and procedure, poses serious threat to the safety and security of the Villa.
“It is important to note that the insistence of security operatives at the pilot gates to properly screen vehicles coming into the Villa whether tinted or not tinted, official or unofficial is not out of place.
“Therefore, there is need for all to subject themselves and their vehicles to security checks as the case may be, so as to prevent unscrupulous elements from exploring the situation to launch attacks on the Villa.
“More so, that most of the major attacks by terrorists groups on high profile targets around the world are being carried out using hijacked vehicles or vehicles with tinted glasses.”
Abubakar urged Heads of units/ departments to advise personnel working under them to always subject themselves to proper security checks and not take the duties of security personnel for granted.
