15 September 2011, Sweetcrude, Abuja- Security has been tightened at the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petrolem Corporation (NNPC) on the orders of the Nigerian government to protect it against surprise attack by Boko Haram.
The government had in the wake of attacks by the violent Islamic sect asked individual ministries, government departments and agencies to adopt security measures against possible attacks.
Boko Haram, meaning “Western education is sin,” is currently executing a violent campaign against the Federal Government. The sect has claimed responsibility for the bombing of the police headquarters on June 6 and the bomb attack on the United Nations building on August 26.
In June, the security agencies had been placed on high alert after government received a tip that the sect was planning an attack on the NNPC headquarters. The move prompted an emergency tightening of security around the premises of the corporation.
Concrete barriers have been put in place and Closed-Circuit Television cameras installed at the NNPC Towers, which also houses the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
An Armoured Personnel Carrier remains stationed in front of the premises since the June scare incident.
In addition, security agents, made up of soldiers, policemen and operatives of private security firms have been deployed in the premises for round-the-clock monitoring.
The concrete barriers erected around the building were said to be needed to avoid what happened at the UN building when the suicide bomber drove through non-concrete barriers before ramming into the building.
Top security source had said in June that the police authorities had got hint of a plan by Boko Haram to bomb the NNPC building as part of its violent campaign against the Nigerian government.
