Oliver Cann, Associate Director, WEF, follows assurances to the forum by President Goodluck Jonathan and his government about the robust security arrangement being put in place for the meeting saying if the intention of the terrorists was to disrupt the World Economic Forum on Africa scheduled for Abuja next week, with the Nyanya attacks, then, they have failed, as the forum will go ahead as planned, convening over 1000 global leaders from politics, business and civil society.

The 24th WEFA which comes at a crucial time for the continent, is taking place under the theme: “Forging Inclusive Growth, Creating Jobs.” Global leaders, including Chinese Premier, Li Keqiang, 11 African heads of state and government, including President Jonathan, will be converging in Abuja for the forum which holds 7th-9th of May.

Meanwhile, apparently disturbed by terrorists' attack on Nyanya, a suburb of Abuja for the second time in less than three weeks, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday summoned security chiefs, some ministers and other top government officials to an emergency meeting at the Presidential Villa to brainstorm on the way out of the crisis.

But the terrorist sect struck again in Borno State late on Thursday, attacking Beneisheikh, along Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway, leaving about 29 people dead.

More facts also emerged friday on the casualty figure from the Nyanya blast, with the police confirming that 19 people died while 60 others are still receiving treatment in various hospitals in Abuja.
To forestall any untoward action during the WEF Africa, the federal government has ordered a three-day closure of public institutions and government owned schools in the FCT.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku who briefed State House correspondents at the end of yesterday’s emergency meeting, said the meeting received update on the second Nyanya bombing, the ongoing search for the Chibok schoolgirls and efforts made so far to deal with related incidents of insecurity and terrorism in the country.

Maku said: “In view of the inconsistent and contradictory information available to government on the Chibok abduction, the President has set up a fact-finding committee comprising security agencies, civil society, international organisations and other stakeholders."
According to the minister, the terms of reference and full membership of the committee would be made available to the public at a later date.

He said Jonathan has directed security chiefs to step up surveillance and expedite action in investigating the Nyanya explosion, with a view to ensuring that “those behind the callous act are arrested and brought to book.”

The minister said that the president equally instructed that additional proactive measures by security agencies be implemented for public safety, as well as “increasing public awareness that will ginger Nigerians to step up their cooperation with security agencies by reporting suspected activities and persons likely to cause a breach of public peace, safety and security.”

Said Maku: "Extensive and intensive aerial surveillance by the Air Force have been carried out in all the routes leading into and out of Chibok up to the Chad and Cameroun borders. Other parts of Borno and Adamawa states are also under the searchlight.
"Every information relayed to security agencies has so far been investigated, including the search of all places suspected as a possible hide-away of the kidnapped girls.

"The police, backed up by the military and DSS, have combed and are still combing all reported places that the girls might have been taken to. During the meeting, the President also commiserated with the families of the deceased and the injured victims. He also directed full medical treatment for the victims at government expense."

The security chiefs at the meeting were the Chief of Defense Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Ademola Amosu; Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin; Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and Director General of State Security Service (SSS), Ita Ekpeyong.

The WEFA was also top of the agenda of yesterday’s security meeting as the former minister of information, Frank Nweke junior who is coordinating the global event was seen going into the venue of the meeting.

Also yesterday, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in concert with other security and emergency agencies friday released figures confirming that the latest Nyanya blast left 19 persons dead and 66 others with varying degrees of injuries.

The Police have also commenced full scale investigation into the cause of the blast and at the same time, cordoned off the scene to effectively carry out this task.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba confirmed the number of casualties in a statement.
He called on families seeking information as to the whereabouts of their loved ones to visit the hospitals handling the treatment of the injured while corpses have also been deposited at the morgue of the listed hospitals.

They include Asokoro General Hospital; Maitama General Hospital; Wuse General Hospital and the National Hospital.
Others are the Mararaba General Hospital; Nyanya General Hospital; Customs Hospital, Karu; Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital and Pan-Raf Hospital, Nyanya.

Mba also said: “The NPF has already commenced a full scale investigation into the blast. It has, along with other security agencies cordoned off the scene of the explosion, where the Police Anti-bomb Squad recovered and safely defused three unexploded Improvised Explosive Devices (IED)".

"While commiserating with the families of the victims, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Abubakar has advised the general public to remain calm, security conscious, and support the security agencies in order to defeat terrorism and other acts of criminality in our land," Mba said.

While Abuja is getting set to host the forthcoming World Economic Forum (WEF) Africa, Jonathan yesterday approved a three-day closure of public institutions and government owned schools in the FCT “for security and ease of traffic during’’ during the summit.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim announced the approval in a statement yesterday in Abuja.

"This is to inform the general public that President Goodluck Jonathan has approved, as part of arrangements for the successful hosting of the World Economic Forum Africa, that all government offices and schools in the Federal Capital Territory, except those on essential services, are to be closed from Wednesday, 7th to 9th May, 2014. Private organisations with large number of staff may also wish to close down.

"This is to ease the flow of traffic within the city and enable participants carry out their assigned roles and participate actively at the World Economic Forum Africa," the statement said.

The terrorist Boko Haram sect also struck on Thursday night in Borno State, killing about 29 people in two separate attacks.
According to sources, the first attack occurred in Beneisheikh, along Maiduguri-Damaturu Highway. The gunmen were said to have barricaded the expressway and attacked travellers.

The security source added: "The security forces responded swiftly and mobilized to the scene and succeeded in killing some of the terrorists in a gun-duel, with others fleeing into the bush."

In another incident which occurred in Gwoza, 19 Boko Haram members were said to have been killed in a gun battle with soldiers.