Senegal plans to recruit an additional 10,000 police officers to “intensify national security in anticipation and prevention” of potential infiltrators.
Interior minister Pathé Seck told legislators Wednesday terror attacks were rife, hence the massive recruitment.
He assured the lawmakers that there was maximum security along the land borders, including with the Islamist infested Mali.
The latest strategy, said General Seck, includes a permanent presence of security operatives to “protect particularly zones, persons and properties”.
Islamists in the Sahel have vowed to carry out reprisals in countries, including Senegal, which have deployed troops to help the international force flush out extremists in northern Mali.
Senegal’s Foreign ministry had also issued a statement assuring security, especially within the tourism sector, which is the country’s main income earner.
Foreign Affairs minister Mankeur Ndiaye had admitted that a jihadists reprisal could be possible in Senegal because of some “dormant” terror networks in the country.
Analysts identified some of the “dormant” terror networks as belonging to the several Islamic fraternities in the country.
Mr Ndiaye’s statement has heightened fear of imminent terrorist reprisal attacks on Senegal since the country deployed its troops to northern Mali.
It is ostensibly in a bid to forestall such reprisal attacks that the Interior ministry launched a massive mopping up campaign.
During that operation, Mr Ndiaye said, about 70,000 people were arrested and interrogated, while 12,750 were detained.
He said hundreds armed gangs and banditry groups had been dismantled across the country.
NMG
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