The federal government has warned that agents of the Islamic State of
Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are scouting in the country to recruit Nigerian
youths as fighters for the terrorist group.
The Coordinator
of the National Information Centre and Director-General of the National
Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, made this known in a
statement signed by his Special Adviser, David Akoji.
Omeri said intelligence reports had shown that three South African
nationals were among some of the fighters recruited by ISIS agents
operating under the guise of humanitarian support groups for refugees
and orphans in Nigeria.
He added that ISIS was scouting for
fighters around the Islamic world and from Africa, and cautioned
Nigerians against being lured into joining the terror group.
“Nigerians are known the world over to be selfless, hospitable and
humanitarian. We believe in the brotherhood of all mankind and no one
should be allowed to take advantage of these virtues or turn them into
vices.
“Nigerians are therefore advised to report to security
agencies without hesitation, any group or non-governmental agency whose
overt or covert activities are suspicious or have tendencies to
jeopardise the innocence of our youths and the security of our people
wherever they are in the world,” he said.
He however assured
the public that the federal government was doing everything possible to
secure the lives and properties of every Nigerian. “Government is
leaving no room to chance in the fight against terror and the protection
of lives and property,” he said, while urging Nigerians to maintain
their confidence in government’s security efforts, show greater
cooperation with security agencies and ensure stricter compliance with
security tips which are currently running on print and electronic media
platforms.
Credit: Adebiyi Adedapo/ThisDay
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