ABUJA EXPLOSION: SARAKI, ATIKU, PROGRESSIVE GOVERNORS CONDEMN ATTACK

Former Governor of Kwara state, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki has condemned the Abuja bombing.

He sympathized with the families of those affected and described it as baffling and heartbreaking.

He called on the President and other Nigerian leaders to put aside differences and come together to find a solution to the insurgency.

“Beyond usual promises and consolations to the masses, the Federal Government should improvise and adopt advanced security measures and counter terrorism strategies that can provide adequate security in the nation”

“There is an urgent need for Political cooperation across the board. I call on Mr President to call a joint meeting of leaders from all political divides , religious and opinion leaders to deliberate on the nation’s security plight. ”

“Enough of rhetorics and workshop or summit on security matter. What we need now is action and commitment. It is my believe that for the sake of the innocent lives our political resolve must be as strong as the military option.”

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar described those behind the bombing as evil and callous.

Mr. Abubakar said that there is an urgent need for the Nigerian Government to review its counter-terrorism strategies and accept foreign assistance in the fight against terrorism.

“As a country, we are not doing enough of focusing on and implementing solutions. We are all guilty of expending endless energy on handwringing and the trading of blame, none of which is able to save lives or change the status quo.”

“There is an urgent need for the government of Nigeria to review its methods and strategies for dealing with terrorism,” Mr. Atiku said.

The Progressive Governors Forum, PGF, through their chairman, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, condemned the attacks saying it was regrettable that the deaths of innocent Nigerians had become a daily occurrence with little respite.

“In the last two weeks alone, about 1,000 Nigerians have perished. The tragic deaths indicate major failure of government. As if failing to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency is not bad enough, the security situation has deteriorated to a level where so-called gunmen are now on the rampage across Nigeria, killing and maiming at will with no response from our poorly equipped and poorly informed security operatives. Is it too much for government to, at the very least, identify the perpetrators of these terrible crimes?

“Without meaning to gain political capital out of these unending disasters, it is plain the government has run out of ideas in the fight against insurgency, ethnic and communal clashes as well as the spate of armed robberies and kidnappings across Nigeria.

“It appears that the federal government and security agencies need some new initiatives to boost their capacity to carry out the fundamental goal of government, which is the security of lives and property of citizens,”  the forum said.

The governors called on the federal government to immediately convene an emergency meeting of the National Council of State to discuss the killings and find a way to protect Nigerians.