As the outrage builds up over the killing of dozens
of students of the College of Agriculture, Gujba,
Yobe State on Sunday, the governors of the 19
northern states have charged security agencies to
do all within their power to halt the killing of
defenceless citizens, and attacks on places of
worship and education facilities, especially in the
North-east, by members of the terrorist sect, Boko
Haram.
This is just as condemnation over the killing of
some 40 students while they slept in their
dormitories poured in Monday from the European
Union (EU), Government of Canada, House of
Representatives, the All Progressives Party (APC),
and a leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu
The Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF),
through its chairman, Niger State Governor, Dr.
Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, said late Sunday that its
members were seriously concerned about the
renewed attacks on innocent people, following the
killing of about 40 students of the college as well as
the killing of 15 persons in Zangang community in
Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“The forum is particularly alarmed that the shooting
to death of 38 students of the College of Education,
Gujba, Yobe State, followed the same pattern as
the killing of 22 students and a teacher at
Government Secondary School, Mamudo, in the
same state last July,” said a statement signed by
Aliyu’s Chief Press Secretary, Danladi Ndayebo.
The NSGF described the fresh attacks as
“horrendous, callous and devoid of any shred of
humanity”.
The forum called on security agencies to do more to
protect the lives and property of citizens and also
ensure that those behind the violence in the region
are brought to justice.
The forum reiterated its pledge to continue to work
with other tiers of government to bring an end to
the security challenges confronting the nation.
Similarly, the APC has asked traditional, religious,
political and opinion leaders in the areas exposed
to attacks by Boko Haram to intervene urgently to
end the cycle of violence being perpetrated by the
sect.
The party, in response to the latest terror attack
that left many students of the College of Agriculture
in Yobe dead, urged Boko Haram to immediately
cease all attacks and embrace dialogue in the
interest of national peace and security.
In a statement issued in Warri Monday by its
interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, the party strongly condemned the
students' massacre, describing it as dastardly,
senseless and indefensible.
“It is clear that this Boko Haram menace cannot be
resolved by the government alone, hence all
stakeholders must urgently intervene to
complement government’s efforts to end the
insurgency and get those behind it to embrace
dialogue.
“There can be no justification for Boko Haram to
continue to kill and maim innocent citizens,
especially because the victims are not just fellow
Nigerians like them, but most are actually their kith
and kin,” APC said.
The party described the continued violence by the
sect as inexcusable, especially at a time that the
government has offered an olive branch by setting
up a committee to dialogue with the sect.
“We in the APC have been unrelenting in our
advocacy for dialogue as a way of ending the
insurgency. Fortunately, the government has also
embraced dialogue, after initially resisting it as an
option.
“Boko Haram should remember that they are not
fighting an external war, and that their grievances,
whatever they are, can never be resolved by
continued killing, maiming and plundering.
“They must therefore put an immediate end to their
cycle of violence and opt for dialogue. The longer
this violence continues, the more difficult it
becomes to resolve. Enough is enough!” the party
said.
In its reaction to the massacre of the students,
Canada strongly condemned the attack at the
college.
In a statement issued by Canada’s Foreign Affairs
Minister John Baird and made available to the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja, Baird said: “The
perpetrators of this abhorrent act targeted innocent
students while they were sleeping.
“On behalf of all Canadians, I extend my deepest
sympathies to those injured in the attack and to the
families and friends of those who lost their lives.”
The Canadian foreign minister expressed hope that
the perpetrators of “this despicable act” would be
brought to justice and pledged Canada’s support to
help Nigeria fight terrorism.
The EU also joined in condemning the dastardly act,
while the U.S. Embassy in Abuja condoled with the
families of those who lost their lives in the violent
attack.
A statement from Catherine Ashton, the EU top
diplomat, reiterated EU’s firm rejection “of such
unjustifiable violence.”
The EU noted that the perpetrators of the attack
clearly targeted children and students and called for
those responsible to be brought to justice and held
responsible for their acts.
The statement also pledged EU’s support to Nigeria
in the fight against terrorism under the principles of
the rule of law, respect and protection of human
rights.
In its statement on Gujba massacre, the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu
Tambuwal, also condemned the killing of the 40
students.
Tambuwal described the incident as ignoble,
wicked and horrendous, coming barely two months
after a similar incident at the Government
Secondary School, Mamudo, also in Yobe State.
In a statement issued in Abuja by his Special
Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mallam Imam
Imam, the speaker said the incident had gone
beyond human comprehension as such dreadful
acts could not be justified under any guise.
Tambuwal tasked the security agencies to redouble
their efforts and explore new tactics in the war
against terror, especially now that those engaged in
the killings have increased their attacks on softer
targets.
He said the only way to console the families of the
victims and Nigerians was by fishing out the
perpetrators of the dastardly act and bringing them
justice.
Also, a former Lagos State Governor, Tinubu,
condemned the killing of the students and condoled
with the government and people of Yobe State.
In a letter to the state governor, Alhaji Ibrahim
Gaidam, Tinubu, said: "Like anyone who cares
about another human being, I was moved by deep
sorrow and anguished indignation upon hearing the
news of the tragedy that came upon the College of
Agriculture in Gujbe.
“The wanton murder of these young people jars the
conscience and reminds one of the sinister nature
of the enemy our nation now faces.
“I dare not ply you with words of false comfort and
consolation for there is no genuine solace to be had
at a moment like this. Evil crept through the
darkness to snatch the lives of young people who
are just entering the fullness of life.
“Their purported crime was that they wanted an
education to improve their lives and help the
nation. For this, they should have been
commended. Instead, their lives were snuffed
short.”
Tinubu called on Gaidam to “look beyond the death
and spilled blood of this innocent child, with grim
determination borne of an unwavering belief that
Nigeria shall overcome this pestilence.”
The APC leader urged the Yobe State governor to
remain committed to providing education to the
people of his state and all Nigerians, adding: “You
must all call on the federal government and its law
enforcement apparatus to move closely with you to
device a strategy that better protects targeted
institutions.”
Source:www.thisdaylive.com/articles/students-massacre-northern-govs-seek-end-to-insurgency/160402/

Na crase world we dey..*in Fela's voice*
Tis a sad situation. Until proper action (whatever that is) is taken instead of cheap talk, defenceless people will still continue to die. Pathetic!

My broda e tire me o