We Could Have Prevented Zaria Massacre By Boko Haram, Says El-Rufai

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State

•Bemoans lack of intelligence tools

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State yesterday in Otta, Ogun State, said last Tuesday’s suicide bombing in Zaria and the attendant loss of lives could have been prevented if the security agencies had the necessary intelligence tools. About 25 people, many of whom were identified as primary school teachers, died when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) carried by a   female suicide bomber went off at the premises of Sabon Gari Local Government. The victims were queuing for identity checks when the incident occurred.

The Nation report continues:

However, el-Rufai said yesterday that government was aware that Boko Haram was planning to unleash terror on the town at least 12 hours before the incident.

Speaking at the 2015 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) boot camp, Otta, Ogun State el-Rufai said, “I feel pained that such a dastardly act occurred even when we were aware that such was going to happen. Twelve hours to the time the incident occurred, we knew through intelligence report that some people were coming to do such.

“We kept monitoring them but they switched off their phones when they got to Zaria. Seven hours later, we heard of the blast. If we had the right equipment, it could have been averted. We need twice the number of police officers than we have now.”

The governor who spoke on  ‘Creating an enabling environment for entrepreneurs’, identified the provision of security, education, social capital and investor-friendly policies as crucial to the enhancement of entrepreneurship.

He said:” The quality of a government in any environment can make or mar entrepreneurship. Nothing is possible without a functioning government.

“No matter how rich you are, without a functioning government you are limited in what you can do because there are things that the government can do that you cannot do  your by yourself.”