Security agencies will ensure safety of relaxation centres – Minimah

Lt.-General Kenneth Minimah, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), on Thursday said that the security agencies would ensure that parks, gardens and other relaxation centres in the country were secured.

Minimah, who was represented by Brig.-Gen. Reuben Izonije, said this at a workshop on security awareness for operators of recreational parks and horticulturists in the FCT.

The workshop was organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) to promote safe parks and gardens in the FCT.

He said that there was need for more secured relaxation centres for fun seekers across the country.

Minimah said the security agencies would ensure that parks and gardens were secured to ensure that citizens had relaxation without the feeling of insecurity.

He said that security remained the bedrock of any meaningful development that a nation could achieve.

The COAS said the Nigerian Army would not relent in its effort at protecting the citizenry.

“Without security there cannot be any meaningful development and the economy of such nation will be in shambles,” he said.

Minimah said the military would ensure that the country was also secured from any elements wanting to destabilise it.

He commended NOA for the workshop, adding that the military would support its efforts at ensuring that parks and gardens were secured.

The COAS said the security agencies would ensure that the country took its rightful place in the comity of nation.

Mike Omeri, NOA Director-General, said the workshop became necessary to equip the citizenry with the required security tips and courage to ward off terror threat.

“Our goal in this initiative is to practically engage managers of the public places to adopt new security measures to reinstate existing arrangement and galvanise citizens in peace building,” he said.

Omeri said terrorism and its attendant killings and destruction of property was alien to “our culture, tradition and way of life”.

He said that there was no boundary in the insurgent’s evil act as Christians, Muslims, Northerners, Southerners, women and men had become victims of the heinous crime.

Chibuzor Udebuani, President, Parks and Garden Owners, FCT, said that the association was aware of the security situation in the country and was not treating it with levity.

“We follow all the security tips in running parks and gardens as we now screen people before they are allowed into recreation centers,” Udebuani said.

Udebuani said that the body now meets with the Department of State Services (DSS) every month for security tips on the running of the gardens and parks.