PDP mourns victims of Kano Central Mosque blast, says act shocking, very painful

NATIONAL leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has condemned yesterday’s bomb blasts at the Kano Central Mosque, where many were feared dead, describing the incident as shocking and very painful.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement, noted that it was more painful especially against the backdrop that lives of innocent citizens were claimed while worshiping their God. It commiserated with the people of Kano State and announced the postponement of its state House of Assembly primaries slated for today, while praying God to comfort the bereaved and bring enduring peace to the nation.

The party lamented that victims of the incessant attacks in the country were productive citizens who were making useful contributions to the growth and development of the nation.

Metuh said “The PDP is shocked over Friday’s bomb attack that claimed the lives of innocent citizens worshipping at the Kano Central Mosque, which is very painful. The party was grief-stricken when it received the news of the gruesome attack “especially considering that the victims are harmless Nigerians, who were at the mosque to offer prayers and express their allegiance and love for the Almighty God.

“Indeed, our hearts ache for our brothers and sisters who were slaughtered in this horrible attack. We grieve for the bereaved, especially those who have been widowed and orphaned today. We share in their sorrows and pray that those behind this atrocious act must not escape justice.”

Meanwhile, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who also condemned the latest bomb blasts as well as previous bomb blasts in Kontagora, Niger State and Maiduguri, Borno State, said he was devastated by the frequency and brutality of terrorist attacks on innocent people, adding that ceaseless violence achieves nothing.

In a statement by his media office, yesterday, the Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC and a presidential hopeful, said that the attacks on mosques, churches, schools, bus stations, markets, shopping plazas and other heavy human targets, defy the teachings of all known religions of the world.

He said his heart always bleeds at this senseless violence, adding that it was high time the Boko Haram terrorists abandoned violence and embraced peace once and for all, just as he called on Nigerians to be more vigilant and share intelligence. He called on the country’s security forces to be ahead of the terrorists with better strategies.

Acknowledging that terrorism was a relatively new security challenge, Atiku Abubakar stressed that more efforts were needed to improve detection of terrorists before they reach their targets and called for rigorous public education to help ordinary Nigerians identify suicide bombers before they reach their intended targets.

Metuh, however, further, called on those behind the attacks to have a rethink and embrace peace, adding, “The nation would have been a better place if the human and material resources as well as the time and energy wasted as a result of the security challenges were channeled towards national development.”

He urged the citizens not to lose faith, but continue to remain vigilant and co-operate with the government and security agencies as they strive to find a lasting solution to the security challenges confronting the country.