Nigerian
president-elect Muhammadu Buhari would be sworn into office for a 4-year term
today in Eagle’s Square, Abuja in a ceremony starting by 9.00am, GRAPHITTI NEWS
reports.
Buhari had emerged winner of the 2015 Presidential
Elections which was held in April 28.
Vanguard reports that before 5pm on Thursday, the
aircraft of over 10 African countries had touched down at the tarmac of the
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
Our correspondent gathered that the two recently
inaugurated lounges for pilots and international protocol officers located
close to the international wing of the airport, were beehives of activities as
some guests were received at the new facilities.
Officials at the NAIA stated that the Presidents of
the different nations were sighted at the presidential wing of the airport
while countries, whose Heads of State could not show up, sent representatives.
The flags of the visiting countries were displayed on
the airplanes.
“Some of the countries whose Presidents or
representatives are now in Nigeria include Mali, Sudan, South Africa, Namibia,
Chad, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Senegal, the Gambia and Guinea,” an official of
NAIA said.
The President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, was sighted
at the airport, according to our source, who added that the advance teams of
France and the United States were on the ground as of the time of filing this
report.
The official stated that the flight of the US
government was scheduled to land around 3am on Friday.
Our source said, “Other countries whose Presidents or
representatives also arrived Abuja airport on Thursday included Togo, Angola,
Lesotho, France, Ghana, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.
More are still coming, going by the manifest that we have.”
The Nation reports all is set for today’s
inauguration of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, with over 10,000 soldiers,
policemen, security agents and members of the Nigerian Security and Civil
Defence Corps deployed in and around Abuja.
Also, ahead of the big ceremony,
the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has asked Nigerians to be vigilant and
report suspicious movements.
The DHQ also confirmed the arrest in Gombe of
three bomb-making experts who are suspected to be members of a terrorist group
looking for soft targets to attack.
According to sources, the preparation for the
inauguration has put pressure on the nation’s security apparatchik.
For about five hours on Wednesday night,
outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan had a session with members of the Security
Council.
It was learnt that the main agenda of the
session, which spread into the night, was how to ensure a hitch-free
inauguration, especially protection for foreign dignitaries, such as U.S.
Secretary of State John Kerry, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, and 54
Heads of State and Government.
Security has been strengthened in the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT), with all entry points to Abuja and all roads leading
to the Eagle Square – venue of the ceremony – under heavy surveillance.
A top security source said: “From the IGP to
Deputy Inspectors-General of Police, all top officers are involved in the
coordination of the security arrangement for the inauguration.
“In fact, the National Security Adviser, Col.
Sambo Dasuki (rtd), has virtually relocated from his office to ensure direct
coordination of the security arrangement for this all-important exercise.
“Conservatively, more than 10,000 soldiers,
policemen, security agents, road safety and Civil Defence Corps members have
been drafted for this inauguration.”
Another security chief said: “We have sought
the understanding of the All Progressives Congress leaders on the tight
security arrangement.
“We have accredited, screened and taken
biometrics of all journalists, ushers, artists, poets, interpreters, government
officials and even security and army personnel for the inauguration.
“We took the biometrics of everyone to be sure
that those expected at the inauguration have genuine cause to be there. This is
outside the normal screening at the Eagle Square on Friday.
“Even Permanent Secretaries involved in the
coordination went through the biometric process. We cannot afford to take
things for granted.”
The DHQ, in a statement by the Director of
Defence Information, Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, asked the public to be vigilant
and report suspicious movement.
He said three bomb-making experts were arrested
in Gombe on the eve of the inauguration.
He said those arrested are suspected to be
members of a terrorist group looking for soft targets to attack.
The statement said: “A cordon and search
operation conducted by troops in Gombe has yielded the arrest of three bomb
making experts. The arrested persons are suspected to be members of the
terrorists group in search of soft targets for attack after being dislodged
from the stronghold in Sambisa Forest and other enclaves.
“Items recovered from the apprehended include a
tricycle and materials for making Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). The
suspects are currently undergoing interrogation.
“Cordon and search is continuing in certain
localities and will be intensified along with mopping up operations in
locations where offensive operations are being conducted.
“The essence is to apprehend the terrorists who
have been dislodged from their sanctuaries and are in search of escape routes
or resorting to attacking soft targets.
“In line with this development, the public is
enjoined to be extra vigilant and to report suspicious movements or activities
within their environs.
“The military is poised to
ensure that the ongoing operations are duly aligned with security arrangement
nationwide towards forestalling any attempt by terrorists or other criminal
groups planning to breach security or disrupt the inaugurations activities
anywhere in the country.”
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