The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammsd Sa’ad Abubakar lll-led Jama’atu Nasril Islam has condemned the deadly triple bomb blasts in Maiduguri, Borno State, describing the attacks as barbaric and a setback to security gains in the North-East.
The group said the explosions, which occurred at the Monday Market, Post Office, and near the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, claimed no fewer than 25 lives and left over 100 others injured.
In a statement on Thursday by its Secretary-General, Prof. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the JNI expressed shock that the attacks happened during Iftar and evening prayers.
The Sultan, who’s the President-General of JNI, described the incident as “painful, cruel, and utterly condemnable.”
He said, “These coordinated attacks are devastating and clearly perpetrated by enemies of the Nigerian state at a time citizens were beginning to feel some relief.”
The JNI noted that the resurgence of such attacks suggested a lapse in vigilance by both security agencies and members of the public.
“It appears that the relative calm previously experienced has led to reduced alertness, which has now been exploited by insurgents,” the statement added.
The organisation warned that the renewed spate of violence in Borno and other parts of the country was alarming and must not be allowed to become a norm.
According to the JNI, “The persistent loss of innocent lives is becoming dangerously normalised in the psyche of Nigerians, which is unacceptable.”
The group urged security agencies to urgently review their operational strategies to counter evolving tactics employed by insurgents, including ambushes and coordinated strikes.
It stressed the need for intelligence-driven operations, adding that citizens must also support efforts by providing credible information to security authorities.
The JNI further called on the Federal Government to take decisive and sustained actions to end terrorism, banditry, and other violent crimes across the country.
It stated, “Government must overhaul the security architecture with clear timelines and provide Nigerians with regular briefings on progress and challenges.”
The group also appealed for compensation for victims, urging authorities to pay Diyyah to bereaved families and ensure full medical treatment for the injured.
In addition, the JNI called for strengthened collaboration among security agencies, government officials, politicians, and non-governmental organisations to tackle insecurity.
The Sultan extended condolences to the Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, and families of victims, praying for the repose of the deceased and speedy recovery of the injured. ENDS
