We Have Decimated, Dislodged Terrorists, Says SSS DG

Director General of the service, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong 

By Chiemelie Ezeobi

The State Security Service (SSS) has said the continuous executed strategies of security agencies  have decimated terrorists thereby dislodging its stronghold. This is just as the federal government disclosed that it had spent at total sum of N800 million in training and re-training personnel of the service in order to position it to tackle terrorism in the country.

The Director General of the service, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong, made this disclosure at the weekend during the passing out parade and commissioning of 385 members of the Cadet Officers Basic Course 27 (COBC27), in Lagos.

The event, which was witnessed by the Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, Who represented President Goodluck Jonathan, Governors Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Godswill Akpabio, Liyel Imoke, Adams Oshiomhole and Abiola Ajimobi of Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Oyo States respectively, also had heads of parastatals in attendance.

According to Ita, there was no doubt that their strategies had invariably affected the cohesion of terrorist groups as well as their chain of command, to the level that the groups have become incapacitated.

He said: "We can confidently say that we have decimated terrorists’ top and middle level leadership and its foot soldiers thereby dislodging its centre of gravity.

"For now, the group does not possess the capacity to direct and launch simultaneous attacks on several cities/targets in Nigeria as had been the situation in the past two years."

While stressing that the service intends to build and consolidate on its successes in the war against terrorism, Ekpenyong added that the achievements could be attributed to the huge investment in human capacity development.

He said: "Consequently, we have been in the forefront in the war against terrorism. This is because of the service's vast knowledge on terrorist’s network,  foresightedness and robust operations based on skilled manpower and latest technical resources.

"The service  with other security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Army under the leadership of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General  Azubuike Ihejirika, have been able to degrade the terrorist network in the country."

Meanwhile, the special guest of honour, President Goodluck Jonathan, also said the training of the service personnel was necessitated by the current security challenges facing the country.

Jonathan who was represented by Wike, said the N800 million released for training this year was a far cry from the sums of 237 and 300 millions approved in 2011 and 2012 respectively for the same purpose.

He said: "We will do more as peace and security is important for good economy. The federal government through the National Assembly recently passed the anti-terrorism law.

"You have performed well but remember that your passing out today is the beginning of your job. Your training was necessitated by the current security challenges facing the country."

He added, "You are a special breed because all of you are holders of first degrees in different disciplines. The era of using cohesion and  brutality to get information should come to an end.

"In essence, you have to abide by the principles of ethics, integrity, patriotism, responsibility, respect for rule of law, commitment and punctuality."