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Nigeria: Israel Alerts Country on Terrorism
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Leadership (Abuja)
5 August 2008
Posted to the web 5 August 2008
Esther Eziashi
The Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Moshe Ram, has told the Inspector General of Police, Sir Mike Okiro, of plans by Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, to attack a West African country, possibly Nigeria.
Ram, who made this claim yesterday in Abuja when Okiro paid him a courtesy visit in his office as part of his tour of embassies in Nigeria to ascertain their true security needs, said the plot was uncovered by the Israeli media.
He added that his embassy is doing all within its powers to tighten its security system in Nigeria.
The ambassador, however, assured the IGP of his cooperation in the area of training and donation of equipment to the Nigeria police to enhance their performance.
Towards this end, he extended an official invitation to Okiro to visit the head of the police in Israel "so as to learn first hand how to manage emergency situation," an area he said his country has "a wealth of experience."
Ram said: "We are in a very problematic situation today, especially the Israeli embassies abroad, because of the threats that we got from the terrorist organisation, the Hezbollah, to strike Israeli embassies in West Africa.
"Though they did not speak about a specific country but there is intelligence and information that speak about this possibility.
Ram has last Friday visited the headquarters of the State Security Service in Abuja, where he met with the Director of Operations and discussed about his fears of the said attack.
The SSS, he said, "are also aware and they are doing all in their power to ensure that anything doesn't go wrong."
"The first thing that is very important to us is for you to be informed and assist us to protect this place and to give us information. It is not something new; it is something that has happened before that the Hezbollah attack Israeli embassies in few places in the world and we don't want to give them any opportunity to do the same thing here.
"This is the reason that we need maximum help from your men to help in this situation. I mean, in the press reports that came out, they did not specify the name of the country in West Africa. They said West Africa as a whole. We know that they were not particular about Nigeria but I think that it is very feasible and might, you know, in the chain of events it might happen and eventually it can become a problem.
"I mean, we got the reports yesterday and it is retaliation for the murder of one of the Hezbollah big operators, the Ahmoniyah, which happened in February. So they are looking for what we call the soft belly, a place in which security as far as they anticipate is not so strong and probably they think that this place and there are Shiite minority in all West Africa. So they anticipate that such an operation might happen.
"I don't think that it is going to happen. I don't think that it is going to happen. If they see that everyone is ready it will deter them, I can assure you. In the past we have such experience too, but it is important to reinforce the fact that this part of the world has become a laboratory for terrorists.
"I would like to seize this opportunity, of course, we will discuss it more at length, in respect to our security here. I mean, whatever we need from your organisation is always unbelievable.
"My security officer and myself we are very happy. We are very happy. We feel that the level of security provided by the Nigerian police at the embassy is satisfactory.
"I myself, I feel very confident here and I think that in a situation where the political or global situation all over the world with a lot of threats in our hands. What to do, Israel has been exposed and is still being exposed to all kinds of threats," Ram added.
Responding, Okiro said the police are well prepared to ensure that no terrorist attack succeeds in Nigeria and assured that the government has already taken steps to ensure that the kidnapped French nationals were released without any unpleasant incident.
Okiro said: "The purpose of my coming is to find out what is the security needs of the embassy. If there are some shortcomings on the part of the Nigeria Police Force to see how we can put those shortcomings straight, tighten the loose ends and ensure that we provide you with adequate security."
Also yesterday, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Jean Michel Dumond, expressed deep worry over the kidnap of two French citizens in Port Harcourt on Saturday and implored the police to assist in securing their release unharmed.
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At the Swedish Embassy, Ambassador Lars-Owe Persson, who said he was about to round up his second term as the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, commended government for the security he has enjoyed in Nigeria.
First of all why would the so-called terrorist attack the Nigerian soil, do you wonder why? It's so simple to answer that question because, the so called terrorist are following their oppressor, Israel everywhere they go in order to revenge for at least some of the atrocities they committed on Israel soil. By the way isn't it true that the some Israel will never find peace of mind as long as they refuse to following was sent(the true scripture) to them, isn't that true? The Israel are so sacred of the truth so they neither say nor practice it. It's... [Read Full Text]
Salaam, I am not surprised of Mr. Ram's allegation. Readers of Daily Trust may recall his undiplomatic rejoinder on Hajiya Bikisu's(mni)article,"Israel at 60:No cause for celebration." In the Rejoinder, Mr Ram Bashed out on one of our Respected Muslim Leaders, Sheikh Zakzaky.No wonder The Dipomat ignored all sense of diplomacy because he knows that they have some undergound plans against the Nigerian Muslims in general and the followers of Sheikh Zakzaky in particular. Perhaps,this allegation by his "Exellency" is a prelude to some drastic actions to be taken by the subservient Nigerian security operatives against the members of the Islamic... [Read Full Text]
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