While addressing a press conference in Kaduna, on Sunday, Secretary-General of JNI, Dr Khalid Abubakar, said the Muslim organisation had, again, received with shock and deep concern, the news of incessant killings and maiming of innocent people and the destruction of public and private properties purportedly by the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents.
Of particular concern, he said, were the murder of young children in their school premises in Potiskum on November 11 and the murder of a prominent Muslim scholar and his associates in Nafada town on November 4.
“It is, indeed, alarming that in a matter of only two weeks, eight deadly attacks were unleashed on seven towns in four states of the federation as follows:
“Mubi on October 30, Gombe Motor Park on October 31, Potiskum on November 3 (Ashura day), Nafada on November 4, Ashaka explosive depot on November 5, Maiha on November 10, Potiskum school on November 11 and Kontagora Federal College of Education on November 12.
“Unfortunately, on Saturday, November 15, a devastating attack was reported in Hotoro, Kano State, another report same Saturday that the ethnic chauvinist group – Ombatse – attacked the palace of the Emir of Lafia, the JNI Vice President-General (VPG) in Nasarawa State, leading to the deaths of many innocent lives.
“Again, on Sunday, November 16, came another report of attacks in Azare, Bauchi State. As if these were not enough, Mafa Local Government of Borno State was ransacked on Thursday, November 20, for several hours unabated,” the statement read.
JNI condemned the attacks in the strongest terms and called on the Federal Government to wake up to its fundamental and obligatory responsibility of protecting lives and properties of Nigerians; especially in the North-East, where the insurgency is most endemic.
“JNI and, indeed, all Nigerians, view the fallout of these repeated attacks, particularly the taking over of towns and villages by the insurgents, as portending a grave danger to the nation.
“Nigeria’s sovereignty has been threatened as a so-called ‘Islamic Caliphate’ has been curved out by the insurgents. An unfortunate, worrisome and embarrassing dimension has recently been added to the scenarios - that of the way soldiers take to their heels and abandon their bases, arms, ammunition and other military hardware on the approach of the insurgents.
“It is sad and an unfortunate fact that Nigerian security forces only surface after the deadly attacks and terrorise an already terrorised people by installing roadblocks and searching homes and business premises.
“Thousands of innocent citizens have lost their lives. Thousands have been abducted, the males forced into insurgency and the females into slavery. Thousands more are wallowing in internally displaced persons camps in Nigeria and in refugee camps in neighbouring countries. Trillions of Naira worth of infrastructure and public and private properties have been destroyed.
“In the light of all these distasteful developments, JNI is forced to ask the following questions:- Where withered the Nigerian Army of the 1967-69 civil war? Where are the heroes of international peacekeepings? When will the government bring an end to this scourge? Does the government really have the capability, capacity, commitment and sincerity to bring an end to this insurgency and the multifarious security challenges facing the nation?
“As has been done painfully in previous cases, JNI President-General and the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, on behalf of Nigerian Muslims, condemns these unabated acts of terror being unleashed on innocent citizens and calls for concerted introspection and sincere commitment by government to address this pernicious problem,” the statement added.
The Sultan also condoled with victims, the people and governments of Adamawa, Borno, Gombe, Kano, Niger and Yobe states, as well as all Nigerians on these unfortunate events.
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