President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday decried the deadly attacks in Plateau and Kaduna states, describing the incidents as calculated assaults aimed at provoking wider violence and destabilising communities.
He stated this in response to the killing of residents in Angwan Rukuba district of Jos, Plateau State, and the killing and abduction of wedding guests in Kahir village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Tinubu, according to a press release issued by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, strongly condemned the attacks, assuring Nigerians that perpetrators of the barbaric acts will not go unpunished.
Describing the attack on the community in Jos and the killing and abduction of wedding guests in Kaduna as an affront to all that Nigeria stands for, he cautioned sections of the media against portraying the attacks as religiously motivated.
The President said the attacks were not only acts of violence but deliberate attempts to ignite reprisals and deepen insecurity.
“Anyone who will sneak under the cover of the night and kill defenceless citizens as done in Jos and Kahir village, is a heartless coward. By attacking soft targets in Jos, their objective is not only to cause harm but also trigger a spiral of reprisal attacks and further bloodletting,” he said.
He directed security agencies, who according to him were actively responding, to intensify operations to track down the perpetrators, urging citizens to cooperate with authorities and adhere to evacuation and relocation advisories where necessary.
“I urge our security agencies to be more proactive in preventing these attacks by acting on early warning intelligence. All the remaining abductees from Kahir village must be rescued immediately”, the President said.
While warning against misinformation capable of escalating tensions, the President said the Federal Government was strengthening security capabilities with advanced technology to combat violent crime and ensure perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice.
“I commiserate with the families of those killed and pray for the quick recovery of the injured. Our government is currently acquiring more sophisticated equipment to enable our security agencies to track and smash criminals, in real time, wherever they are,” he added in the statement issued by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
