Presidency probes Abdulmutallab’s father’s claims

There are indications that the Presidency may have started investigating claims that security agencies were given privileged information about 23-year-old Nigeria, Umar Abdulmutallab, who allegedly tried to destroy an American airliner on Christma Day in 2009.

The suspect’s father, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, reportedly informed unnamed figures in the Nigerian and the United States intelligence services some months ago that his son was leaning towards extremist tendencies. While the American government had confirmed that an intelligence officer in the US Embassy in Nigeria received the suspect’s father’s report, no Nigerian security agency had confirmed receiving such information.

A presidency source, who declined to be named because of the sensitive nature of the matter, said the investigation would examine counter-claims that the retired banker did not make a formal report to the State Security Service, Nigeria Police or Nigeria Intelligence Agency.The development was intended to stop the brewing storm in the Nigerian intelligence community over the issue.He said that fresh indications had emerged that the suspect’s father merely had “an informal chat” with a former National Security Adviser.”The source said there were indications that Mutallab merely told the former NSA that his son had cut links with him and would appreciate if efforts could be made to locate him.

According to the official, “Alhaji Mutallab’s claim of formally reporting to relevant security agencies is being investigated because of emanating facts that he did not approach the SSS, NIA or even the police to divulge his terrorist tendencies of any sort about his son. If Mutallab formally reported to any of the security agencies, which was it? Is there any evidence of a report from anywhere?

“The only known evidence is that Mutallab approached the US embassy as stated and acknowledged by the Americans, with details indicating his son was missing, without clear cut information about his affiliations or religious extremism.Questions are now being asked: why did they (US Embassy) not act promptly, i.e. to cancel his visa? Was it just information of a missing son? The Presidency is worried that security agencies locally are trading blame when the US Embassy (if it actually had cogent information) failed to act on such.”

The source said the presidency found it strange that Nigeria’s security agencies were trading blame on the matter when the US Embassy did not find the information on Abdulmutallab cogent enough to warrant the cancellation of his visa.He also said the presidency’s investigation would seek to unravel the reason why the US government failed to place the suspect on the red list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a potential terrorist.He added, “Further questions to be asked are why did Mutallab approach a former NSA instead of the serving officer (was he inaccessible)? Why are issues within security agencies (such as queries) being leaked to the media and who has leaked them?“Again is it ethical for security agencies to be trading blame in the media? The two major security agencies in the country, the SSS and NIA, which report directly to the President, have distinct roles.The SSS manages internal intelligence and security, while the NIA is saddled with external intelligence gathering.”“The Presidency is worried that major security agencies are bringing issues of national importance to the public glare and stirring tension in the polity, at a time agencies of government need to be closely knitted to stir the course of smooth governance.”