Centenary Celebrations: Heavy Security Mounted At Abuja

Ahead one of the highlights of the centenary celebrations holding in Abuja, there have been heavy security all around the Federal Capital Territory, including Airforce jets and police helicopters parading the skies of the country.

*Jonathan receives UK's Mark Simmonds

An international Summit with the theme “Human Security, Peace and Development: Setting the Agenda for Africa in the 21st Century", is one of the events scheduled to take place.

All roads leading to International Conference Centre venue of the event were cordoned off while detachments of security men made of men of the Nigerian armed forces, policemen and officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were deployed to strategic areas of the city. Some of the guests and delegations from foreign countries invited for the event are already seated at the venue as at the time of filing in this story.

President Goodluck Jonathan will deliver a keynote address on the theme of the Summit.

The Prime Minister of Ethiopia, the President of Sierra Leone, and representative of Great Britain,Northern Ireland, President of the European Union Commission among others are also listed to present papers on the theme of the Summit.

Federal Government said last week that about 28 World leaders (African and European) have indicated their readiness to grace Nigeria’s centenary the Summit.

Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of Federation, said last week that the theme of Nigeria’s centenary celebrations was designed around the key concepts of unity, indivisibility, virility, progress and promise of the Nigerian federation.

Also, U.S. President Barack Obama has designated State Counsellor Thomas Shannon as the leader of a presidential delegation to Nigeria for the centenary celebrations. i

A statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by the State Department said Shannon would meet with government officials and participate in high-level activities with other world leaders during the centenary.

The celebrations will also feature an international concert which will be held at Abuja National Stadium later today.

On Friday, President Jonathan will confer honours on 100 Nigerians, with about 40 per cent of the awards to be presented posthumously.

The award ceremony will be preceded by a Jumat Service at National Mosque, Abuja. The Ceremony will be rounded off with an interdenominational service at National Ecunimenical Centre, Abuja.

The British colonial authorities had on Jan. 1, 1914 amalgamated what were then the separate protectorates of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria.

The amalgamation resulted in the creation of a single geo-political entity known as Nigeria. 
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