ABUJA – President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday in Abuja presided over the Council of State meeting, where national issues bordering on the nation’s security and the forthcoming general elections were expected to be deliberated upon.
According to reports, all former Presidents and Heads of State; Shehu Shagari, Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Abdulsalami Abubakar and Interim National Government President Ernest Shonekan, except Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, were in attendance.
Other participants are Senate President David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, and former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Musdafa Belgore.
Governors of Anambra, Kogi, Katsina, Kano, Osun, Imo, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Niger, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, Kaduna, Kebbi, Zamfara, Kwara, Ogun, Ondo, Plateau, Cross River, Enugu and Delta states were also in attendance.
Also present were Governors of Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa, Edo, Ekiti, Gombe, acting governor of Taraba while Abia, Oyo and Borno were represented by their deputy governors.
The National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), FCT Minister Bala Muhammed and the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation Mohammed Adoke were also in attendance.
Newsmen further report that INEC Chairman, Attahiru Jega and some of his Commissioners were also seen at the vicinity of the meeting which started around 11.56 a.m.
Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday unveiled three national security documents to effectively tackle the challenges posed by terrorism and cybercrimes.
The documents are the National Security Strategy; Counter Terrorism Strategy; and Cyber Security Plan and Strategy.
The president at the inauguration of the documents advised all security agencies to adopt the principles as enshrined in the documents.
“Today the foremost threat facing us is clearly the terrorism perpetrated by the Boko Harram, the radical Islamic sect, in its bid to further its misguided cause.
“This cowardly group has continued in wanton disruption of lives and property particularly in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States.
“Boko Haram has systematically targeted the poor and the wealthy; it has employed violence to intimidate and instill fear to the general populace and media propaganda to manipulate the minds of our people.
“The sect, its supporters and allies, seek to undermine our national security. They neither believe in our country nor the sanctity of human lives.
“The counter terrorism strategy document is a major contribution to our determined national efforts to effectively and comprehensively deal with the challenges posed by Boko Haram and other insurgency groups.’’
The president noted that the document on cybercrime strategy aimed to identify forensic measures to address the nation’s cyber space exposure and the attendant risks.
He said that it identified public private sector partnership, multi stakeholder engagement and international cooperation as three key approaches to a successful national cyber security programme.
Jonathan called for cooperation among stakeholders to eliminate the security threats.
He said that the three publications would be of immense benefits to the business community and in effective communication strategies.
“These documents will no doubt contribute immensely our collective efforts at finding solutions to the security challenges that posed threats to our progress and development efforts.