This is what i expect from our President,taking the bull by the horn and letting outsiders know we will not tolerate disrespect and should be treated like partners.
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Monday, described the terror alert issued by the United States of America, USA, Consul-General over the weekend, as “inappropriate”.
The US Consul-General had warned her citizens to stay off some states and also alerted that some groups associated with terrorism allegedly planned to carry out an unspecified attacks against a popular hotel, in Nigeria, in the city of Lagos.
Fashola while reacting in an interview after handing over 100 patrol vehicles, 150 patrol motorbikes, five Vans popularly called “Blackmaria” and one towing vehicle donated by the state Security Trust Fund, LSSTF at the state House, Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja.
Speaking on the terror alert, the governor said that the information violates the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights of 1948; Freedom from fear.”
According to him: “I think that there are channels of communication that information of that type can be shared without creating panic and I think that citizens of all nationals can be protected without throwing a cat among pigeons.
“I will hope that we are more circumspect in the way we share information and that our intentions are noble. This is very important at this time, what the country needs is more information in the right hands, to the right places.
“This will assist our agencies and government to overcome this difficult period and not disseminating information through the social media especially, in a way that there is no control and management. Anyone who does that does not mean well for the country.”
The governor submitted that the release of such information has raised new dimension into the obligation of nations and governments around the world to ensure peace and to cooperate with one another.
Lamenting the gravity of the information Fashola said: “The fundamental freedom that seems to have gone out of our daily discuss, which is the freedom from fear and this was a freedom that was recognized in 1948 when the declaration of rights were been adopted as a global publication.
“At a local level, I have received information before that a particular commercial bank was about to be robbed. I did not go out and announce to the public that such act will be committed in the state. All I did was I called the security officials and what we did was to sleep inside the bank. The robbers came at night, and we apprehended them without the public idea except the bank manager who was aware on why we visited the bank and our mission,” he added.
While commenting on security challenge, the governor described terrorism as a threat to humanity, calling for a concerted effort of all countries in tackling the menace.
Fashola said he was disturbed by the recent abduction of about 200 school girls in Chibok, Borno, and urged all Nigerians to unite to ensure their safe rescue.