Nigeria: SSS Hints End to Security Challenges Hot

The State Security Service (SSS) has given a hint that the myriad of internal security challenges being faced by the country today including the terrorist activities of Boko Haram is coming to an end soon.

The SSS Spokesperson, Marylyn Ogah, disclosed this Thursday at the formal opening of the Departmental Security Officers' (DSOs') Security Consciousness Workshop in Abuja, organised by Special Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS).

Ogah, noted that with human Intelligence, collaboration with international community and modern technologies being presently installed, the Security Service has woken up to the task ahead of them".

She insisted that the Federal Government is making progress in the fight against Boko Haram in spite of the intensified spate of bombings by the group, which she said is a sign that the end is near.

She said: "Most of the recent bombings are just part of the challenges to prevent us from accomplishing our objectives, but we are moving forward. You know that when you are about to get to the end of a line you get to have problems preventing you from seeing the end.

"Very soon if everybody continues to come on board, we would definitely get to the end of this war affecting all of us; and except there is so much dedication from the human angle (intelligence), all the Modern technology (being deployed) will definitely be a waste of funds and resources."

"At various forums I have said the president of the Federal Republic is doing its best to strengthen agencies through acquisition of Modern day technologies to combat terrorism.

"Despite all the technologies you have, you must have the human resource input and without this your technology comes to nothing that is why there is need for Nigerians to be more conscious and friendly with their environment that is the only way they can identify strange faces around them.

"Technology alone cannot overcome these factors we are facing as I have rightly said there is need for human input. There is no institution that can fight terrorism alone", she explained.

Ogah further called on the personnel of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to help in bringing the security challenges to an end, especially with the Federal Government involvement.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office, OSGF, Mrs. Esther Gonda, directed that the DSOs through their respective MDAs, to provide adequate security measures to their environment.

Gonda urged them to critically assess their surrounding and determine those who should have access to their premises, adding that government offices are meant for performing business only.

"Let me seize this opportunity to inform you that while the Government is planning to emplace adequate security measures for cluster MDAs within Abuja, the DSOs through their respective MDAs are expected to provide basic security measures such as CCTV, Walk-through Metal Detectors, Scanners, Parcel/letter Bomb Detectors", she said.