President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday urged Nigerians to be conscious and observant of possible security threat around them, to reduce incidences of terror attacks.
The president gave the advice when he visited the scene of the early morning bomb attack at Nyanya Motor Park in Abuja.
The incident occurred at the popular “El-Rufai Park” where many were killed and injured, with some vehicles burnt.
Last night, the Minister of Health Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu confirmed that 72 people died, while 164 were injured in the carnage.
Jonathan, who was accompanied by the Senate President, Sen. David Mark, underscored the need for the media and relevant government and private establishments to initiate security enlightenment programmes.
“We want to use this unique opportunity to plead with the media and our great men and women to come up with enlightenment programme for our people.
“Those countries that face terror, they have developed great awareness.
“If there are unusual movement of vehicles and bags, they call on security and based on this, a lot of incidences are contained.
“So we believe that if people will become observant and all of us become security conscious by the movement of people, we will be able to reduce some of these incidences,” he said.
The president expressed condolences to the families of the victims of the incidence.
He commended the security services for their prompt action.
“Though we lost quite a number of people, we condole with our country men and women,” he said.
The president said the issue of Boko Haram was temporary while government would continue to work hard to curtail it.
“Government is doing everything possible to make sure that we move our country forward, in spite of all the distractions that want to take us backward.
“We promise that we will get over it. The security services will continue to work very hard. God willing, we will get over it.”
The president also visited the General Hospital Asokoro, where some of the injured victims of the blast were receiving treatment.
On arrival at the hospital, the president was received by the Chief Medical Director, Dr Abubakar Adamu, who briefed him and conducted him round the emergency wards.
The Minister of Interior, Mr Aba Moro; the National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki; the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Barde, other service chiefs and the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar were at the scene.
