AREWA leaders and Islamic leaders in the North have condemned the recent attacks by Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states in which many people lost their lives and property destroyed.

Members of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) said the northern leaders “and in deed Nigerians are worried and disturbed by the recent and frequent attacks on villages and even state capital of Borno and Yobe by the Boko Haram insurgents leading to the death of hundreds of innocent people.”

A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of ACF, Alhaji Muhammadu Ibrahim, pointed out that “the renewed direct attack on the people in Monguno, Kukawa, Maiduguri and many villages in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states is cruel, barbaric and condemnable, especially in the holy month of Ramadan”, noting: “This clearly shows that the Boko Haram insurgents are cultists in form, character and operation as their claim to be Muslims is untenable.”

“Islam enjoins Muslims not to fight during the month of Ramadan no matter the provocation, talk less of attacking and killing innocent people for no just cause. ACF therefore condemns in strong terms these unwarranted killings of people in Monguno, Kukawa and Maiduguri by Boko Haram terrorists and the recent attack on a mosque in Maiduguri on a Friday and a church in Potiskum on a Sunday by female suicide bombers.”

“Equally disturbing is the attack and killing of innocent people in a village of Birnin Magaji Local Council of Zamfara State by some unknown gunmen. This is a serious challenge to our military and other security agencies, as the spate of attacks is getting vicious and unacceptable”, Ibrahim said.

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has also condemned the bloody attacks reportedly by the Boko Haram insurgent group in Borno, Yobe and Plateau states.

In a statement signed by the JNI Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the organisation urged Nigerians not to link the attacks to the religion of Islam, saying: “For the avoidance of doubts, these repeated acts are evil, ungodly and of course have no bases in Islam. The barbaric attacks are utterly condemnable in the strongest terms

“And those perpetrating them are criminals, thus they must be fished out and punished accordingly. As for the Maiduguri attack, may we ask why were the attackers not prevented or arrested despite the several distress calls said to have been put to the appropriate authorities in Maiduguri?

“While commending the Federal Government’s efforts in curbing the menace, vis-a-vis its prompt interventions, we implore it to do a thorough forensic examination and or investigations on the way the recent attacks have been launched serially unabated on innocent citizens.”

“We commiserate with the Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Plateau and Zamfara state governments and the respective families of the affected victims of the evil acts and condole with them.”