JNI sends Save Our Soul Message to Buhari, governors

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has sent a distress signal to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Northern Governor’s Forum to as a matter of urgency address the alarming spate of insecurity ravaging the North.

In a statement, Secretary–General, JNI, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, noted that the recurrent security challenges such as kidnappings, armed robbery attacks, rising bomb blasts and attack of Boko Haram cum ISWAP insurgents, in addition to ethnic violence, were alarming.

He urged the government to wake up as citizens are becoming more and more agitated, adding that “Government should take the bull by the horn by prosecuting promoters of hate speech and tame the rising cases of banditry in Nigeria, otherwise it will become a norm that cannot be challenged.”

“Government’s silence over the 1000 Housing Estate bomb blast in Maiduguri, the Jos Prison Break and the burnt commuters along Sabon Birni Sokoto road, not to mention the multitude of carnages in Sokoto – Zamfara axis, calls for serious sober reflection, therefore, the federal government should be seen to be proactive on security matters, as well as assure and assuage citizens’ fears at critical moments of grief.”

He, however, called on politicians and non-governmental organisations to strengthen their cooperation and synergy aimed at finding a lasting solution to the spate of killings and destructions.

While condemning the killing and burning of 23 people at Gidan Bawa village along Sabon Birni- Sokoto road by bandits, he expressed the condolences of JNI to the families of the victims adding, “Despite the establishment of combined security forces along known routes where bandits operate, they still carry out their dastardly acts freely.”

He queried, “What really is the matter that government has not been able to halt the operations of bandits against innocent citizens particularly in North Western Nigeria? We are compelled to assume that government seems oblivious to sufferings and agonies of her citizens as a result of the relentless activities of these bandits.”

“We reiterate our calls to the federal government to rise up to its primary cum constitutional responsibility of protecting and securing citizens, and do well beyond condemnation on security related matters. Nigerians are desperately yearning for concrete actions against all forms of criminalities,” he said.

(Daily Trust)