Security: See something, say something

 ITRealms:

Since 2009 when the public attack on the Nigerian populace began its terrorism offensives, industry watchers estimates that some 6,000 victims have been killed and over 20 per cent of that figure have been defamed for life, yet another 20 per cent going in and out of the hospitals, writes ITRealms.

Today, a lot of concerns have been placed on the menace caused by the member of Boko Haram insurgent group, which has severally ascribed as “Western Education is Sin,” necessitating the slogan among most concern Nigerians for people to say something to appropriate authorities, including community leaders, once they spot something unusual, tagged in Nigeria parlance to be “see something, say something.”

It was not surprising that a few days ago, on my way from foreign assignment, a woman after standing to pick her language piece at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja-Lagos, could not identify a white cellophane bag and has no option than to raise an alarm with the officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), who promptly condoned the space and invited the experts, especially on bombs to screen the bag.

Recently also, a man spotted an unknown face parking a car in front of his apartment in Jos and was quick in stepping out to confront the fellow who after much insistence had no option than to move the vehicle away and on attempting to start the car engine, the vehicle instantly blow-up, killing the man and his little daughter who accompanied “daddy” alongside the bomber; who invariably may not be classified as suicide bomber, because he had wanted to abandon the car at that location before its detonation time, remotely.

And it seems this campaign of “see something, say something” linked to some group of concerned Nigerians, may have continued to gain momentum and led to a young boy of 12-year old recently alerting his community of Muslim in a Kano mosque of a suspected parked rickety Toyota Tercel car nearby.

His alarm led to the discovery of what terrorism and security experts called ‘high-caliber’ Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the car and people where quickly evacuated, as the security agents made up of a team of police personnel immediately went to work to defuse the IED.

Confirming this, the police spokesperson in Kano, Mr Magaji Majiya, told newsmen “The bomb targeting worshippers was placed inside a Toyota Tercel car near a Mosque in Sauna Pfanuga area of Nasarawa Local Government, Kano metropolis.”

Majiya noted that the boy whose identity was kept sealed for security reasons became apprehensive when he saw the car laden heavy with what looked suspicious. Hence, the car was taken to Police Headquarters afterwards for further investigations and analysis.

Further, the Kano Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aderenle Shinaba, soon after displayed the devices to newsmen in Kano.

“The explosives were primed to explode when the Juma’at prayer is going on and they can destroy a whole neighbourhood because they are of high caliber,” Shinaba said.

ITRealms recalls that this development came at the wake of a bomb explosion, which claimed eight lives that took place on Monday at the School of Hygiene in Kano, leaving behind scores of death, even though the Police said they have arrested a suspect in connection with the school attack.

The exploit by this young boy tend to show the concern of the populace because people especially experts are talking about the insurgence at all levels of communication channels including but not limited to local radio and television stations and even among peers and relatives.

As we look forward to more breakthroughs, let us keep talking about what we see mostly if they are unusual objects at unusual locations, because the issues of security cannot be left in the hands of security agencies alone.

So, when next you see something, kindly say something as you may be saving lives with that alert including yours.

by: Remmy Nweke

ITREALMS Online ... delivering news for ICT4D
Pix: President Jonathan on visit to recent bombblast.