20110328
this day

The escalating pre-election violence in the country may be met with a stiff crackdown as the Federal Government prepares to deploy massive security measures ahead of the polls.

THISDAY learnt Sunday that President Goodluck Jonathan may seek the nod of the Council of State to roll out tough security measures to tackle the violence which is spreading to more states of the federation.

Meanwhile, in Kaduna Sunday, the president met with the National Council of Islamic Affairs (NCIA) and Northern traditional rulers at the headquarters of Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI) to seek their support to tackle violence ahead of the elections.

THISDAY learnt that there is going to be a massive shake-up in the security agencies.

A source said the agencies might be authorised to arrest trouble makers no matter their status in the society.

Already, the governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Akwa Ibom State, Chief John Akpanudoedehe, has been arrested and charged with treason following the violence that rocked the state last week.

THISDAY gathered that President Jonathan may call an emergency meeting of the Council of State early this week to brief them on the security situation and seek their approval for some extra-ordinary measures aimed at checking the situation.

In Kaduna, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, expressed worries about alleged continuous killings of Muslims in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

Speaking at a meeting between the president and Islamic and traditional rulers, the Sultan called on the president to address the issue "once and for all".

"We are very worried about the happenings in Plateau as they affect the Muslim Ummah (Muslim community). When-ever there are crises somewhere and a Muslim is killed, nobody hears anything about that, no condemnation, not even a mention.

"But when a Muslim takes revenge, without our knowledge, and kills somebody, say a Christian, I am talking of Plateau, the whole world will now know that Muslims are killing Christians. This is an issue that I believe I am speaking the minds of Muslim leaders in Plateau and other parts of the country, " the Sultan said.

He also raised concern on the peace and stability of the country after the elections and urged the Federal Government to take adequate steps to ensure stability.

"You have commented about the pre-election violence and post-election stability and like I told you in Sokoto, the issue we have forgotten totally is the post-election stability. I am very happy you made mention of that. It means you are working towards that. The post-election stability is very important to us," he said.

Jonathan pleaded with Islamic leaders in the country to use their positions to prevail on their subjects to engender peace could so that development could take root.

He met with Christian leaders in Warri, Delta State, last week.

Jonathan asked all Nigerians to ensure that the violence which had been witnessed across the country in the pre-election period was stopped as he had also directed the security agencies to check and punish perpetrators.

Jonathan told the gathering that the people believe religious leaders more than political leaders and stressed the need for them to continue in their commitment to educate and impart good morals on their followers.

Reiterating his position that no office was worth the blood of any Nigerian, he regretted that politicians would always want to win even the smallest office by any means.

"Today I am specifically requesting for your prayers and counselling for peaceful co-existence among our people. With election coming, some politicians will want to win election by all means. Some people are so desperate that once there is a contest between them and their sibling or cousin, they go at each other as if they don't know themselves.

"You are holding very unique offices. Whatever you say is believed but when we give advice, they see it as politics. You are the people that can counsel us on elections. I plead with you to continue to pray for us to succeed," he told them.

He said with him in dual position as president and a contestant, looking at how much he had achieved within 10 months of taking over the reins of power, they would agree that if the tempo was sustained for the next four years, some basic things that were lacking like power could start being taken for granted.

A drama occurred around 3pm with a sudden fire outbreak suspected to have been ignited by an electrical fault.

This nearly marred the parley as tongues of fire started dropping from the ceiling.

Jonathan was being expected with the police band already playing and some Muslim leaders seated when suddenly the smell of burning cable wafted through the hall.

Workers hurriedly started checking the air conditioners before smoke was noticed at a point in the ceiling.

The fire sent the people already in the hall scampering for safety while some fetched water with buckets and put detergent in it with which they were dousing the heavily padded floor and seats where the tongues were dropping.

After the power was switched off from the main supply, the fire died out on its own at 3.05pm.

Power supply was switched to the generating set while the staff rushed in with brooms and other utensils to clean up the floor.

Later, the hall was certified safe and word came that the president was still going to use the venue for the occasion and people went back to take their seats about 3.40pm.