Following the suspicious twin explosions which rocked Apapa, Lagos State last Wednesday, killing five persons, the state police command has beefed up security in the city and around all police formations.
The state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), along with security chiefs also held a closed-door meeting yesterday with depot and tank farm owners on the need to beef up security around their facilities.
Besides, it was gathered that intelligence reports have shown that some people were planning to cause a breach of the peace in place such as Abule Egba, Iyana Ipaja, Ojodu Berger, Mowe-Ibafo, Apapa Wharf axis.
On June 25 twin explosions rocked Apapa night, occurring within 10 minutes interval. However, there has been confusion over what caused the explosions which some people likened to a terrorist attack.
But Lagos State police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said the first explosion was caused by a fuel tanker, which exploded at the premises of an oil depot, she could not explain the cause of the second, saying that investigation was still ongoing.
Sources told New Telegraph yesterday that both the police and the Department of State Security have placed their personnel on red alert in the state to guard against infiltration by Boko Haram members.
One of the sources said: “Since the explosions at Apapa, no DPO (Divisional Police Officer) had gone home to sleep. There are serious security measures on ground.”
It was also gathered that order has been issued that female security personnel and agents should join in routine patrol, in order to frisk suspicious female in hijab, if there was a need to do so.
The source said the involvement of female security personnel in routine patrol was to check any likely incidence of Boko Haram using a woman to launch any attack as being rumoured.
Another source revealed that two weeks before the Apapa explosions, the Anti-Terrorism and Heinous Crime Department, located at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, got an intelligence report of a likely attack on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The source said: “At least 25 plain-clothes operatives were deployed in the axis on surveillance.
But as soon as the Apapa explosions occurred, some of the men were ordered to the scene.” However, responding yesterday to New Telegraph inquiry on the outcome of investigation into the Apapa blasts, Braide said: “We’re still investigating.”
It was also learnt that as part of efforts to improve security in the state, Fashola led members of the state security Council to a meeting with managing directors of oil depots and operators of fuel tank farms in Apapa.
New Telegraph gathered that the secret meeting, which was attended by the Lagos State Director of State Security Service (DSS) and the Commissioner of Police, was coordinated by the state Commissioner for Mineral and Energy Resources, Mr. Taofeek Tijani.
A source at the meeting, which was held at the Office of the Governor, said the discussion was based on the need to beef up security around tank farms and fuel depots in Lagos.
He added that the meeting was centred on the explosions at Apapa and the need to avert a recurrence. “The meeting, which was attended by all members of the Lagos Security Council lasted for two hours.
“The governor led all members of the Lagos security council to meet the managing directors of all tank farms and fuel depots in Lagos at his office based on the security report that insurgents may be targeting the oil facilities.
“Tank farms in Apapa house about 85 per cent of imported refined petroleum products in the country. “These products have high rate of combustion and an explosion around them may cause a major mayhem.
“The governor told all the chief executive officers of oil companies in attendance to beef up security around their oil facilities. “He repeatedly made reference to the gas explosion incident around Folawiyo depot, where four people were killed.”
“The governor, from concerns he raised, does not want to take any chance on the security of these tank farms and fuel depot. “He was concise in his order to all MDs to beef up security,” the source said.
Some of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the companies at the meeting included the Managing Director of Total Nigeria Plc, Mr. Alexis Vovk and his counterparts at Mobil Nigeria; Folawiyo Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Folawiyo and Capital Oil Nigeria Limited.
NEW TELEGRAPH
The state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), along with security chiefs also held a closed-door meeting yesterday with depot and tank farm owners on the need to beef up security around their facilities.
Besides, it was gathered that intelligence reports have shown that some people were planning to cause a breach of the peace in place such as Abule Egba, Iyana Ipaja, Ojodu Berger, Mowe-Ibafo, Apapa Wharf axis.
On June 25 twin explosions rocked Apapa night, occurring within 10 minutes interval. However, there has been confusion over what caused the explosions which some people likened to a terrorist attack.
But Lagos State police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, said the first explosion was caused by a fuel tanker, which exploded at the premises of an oil depot, she could not explain the cause of the second, saying that investigation was still ongoing.
Sources told New Telegraph yesterday that both the police and the Department of State Security have placed their personnel on red alert in the state to guard against infiltration by Boko Haram members.
One of the sources said: “Since the explosions at Apapa, no DPO (Divisional Police Officer) had gone home to sleep. There are serious security measures on ground.”
It was also gathered that order has been issued that female security personnel and agents should join in routine patrol, in order to frisk suspicious female in hijab, if there was a need to do so.
The source said the involvement of female security personnel in routine patrol was to check any likely incidence of Boko Haram using a woman to launch any attack as being rumoured.
Another source revealed that two weeks before the Apapa explosions, the Anti-Terrorism and Heinous Crime Department, located at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, got an intelligence report of a likely attack on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
The source said: “At least 25 plain-clothes operatives were deployed in the axis on surveillance.
But as soon as the Apapa explosions occurred, some of the men were ordered to the scene.” However, responding yesterday to New Telegraph inquiry on the outcome of investigation into the Apapa blasts, Braide said: “We’re still investigating.”
It was also learnt that as part of efforts to improve security in the state, Fashola led members of the state security Council to a meeting with managing directors of oil depots and operators of fuel tank farms in Apapa.
New Telegraph gathered that the secret meeting, which was attended by the Lagos State Director of State Security Service (DSS) and the Commissioner of Police, was coordinated by the state Commissioner for Mineral and Energy Resources, Mr. Taofeek Tijani.
A source at the meeting, which was held at the Office of the Governor, said the discussion was based on the need to beef up security around tank farms and fuel depots in Lagos.
He added that the meeting was centred on the explosions at Apapa and the need to avert a recurrence. “The meeting, which was attended by all members of the Lagos Security Council lasted for two hours.
“The governor led all members of the Lagos security council to meet the managing directors of all tank farms and fuel depots in Lagos at his office based on the security report that insurgents may be targeting the oil facilities.
“Tank farms in Apapa house about 85 per cent of imported refined petroleum products in the country. “These products have high rate of combustion and an explosion around them may cause a major mayhem.
“The governor told all the chief executive officers of oil companies in attendance to beef up security around their oil facilities. “He repeatedly made reference to the gas explosion incident around Folawiyo depot, where four people were killed.”
“The governor, from concerns he raised, does not want to take any chance on the security of these tank farms and fuel depot. “He was concise in his order to all MDs to beef up security,” the source said.
Some of the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the companies at the meeting included the Managing Director of Total Nigeria Plc, Mr. Alexis Vovk and his counterparts at Mobil Nigeria; Folawiyo Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Folawiyo and Capital Oil Nigeria Limited.
NEW TELEGRAPH
No comments:
Post a Comment