From Muhammad Ibrahim, Kaduna
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has joined others in condemning the Monday multiple bomb explosions in Abuja, describing it as a national calamity.
The ACF, in statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim and made available to newsmen in Kaduna yesterday, said the attacks on innocent Nigerians is a disservice to humanity and a great shock to the nation.
The group further called on insurgents and other aggrieved groups to explore the path of dialogue to ensure peace in the country, saying the killings of innocent people and destruction of their property is not a solution to any perceived injustice or grievance.
“In the last six years, Nigeria has experienced many cases of security challenges like bomb blast, insurgency and gunmen attacks, communal and religious clashes that have culminated into huge loss of lives and destruction of property worth millions of Naira.
“The present insecurity situation in the country, especially in the Northern region, has placed our people in a state of hopelessness and helplessness and crippled the socio-economic activities of the region.
“The measures put in place by various levels of government, including a State Emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa to combat the activities of insurgents and terrorists have not yielded the desired result.
“This is grave and worrisome, considering the frequency of attacks which has become a daily affair, with colossal loss of lives and property.
“ACF hereby condemns in strong terms the senseless and inhuman act of terrorism being perpetrated by the insurgents and their collaborators against the Nigerian people, especially the bomb blast at Nyanya, FCT, where innocent people, in pursuit of their legitimate means of livelihood, were killed and injured.
“ACF calls on the Federal Government to decisively use all legitimate means and security apparatus at its disposal to tackle the insecurity that is gradually destroying our corporate existence as a nation.
“The need for synergy between the security agencies and the community for intelligence-gathering and utilisation is necessary in combating this menace.
“Once more, ACF wishes to appeal to the insurgents and other terrorists to lay down their arms and embrace peace and dialogue as the killing of innocent people and destruction of their property is not a solution to any perceived injustice or grievance.
“ACF commiserates with the bereaved families and those injured by the bomb blast and urges the FCT Administration and the Nasarawa State Government to provide free medical treatment to the injured persons”, the statement read.
