Easter: Kaduna puts residents on alert, tightens security

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has urged residents of the state to be vigilant during the forthcoming Easter celebration given the desperation of remnants of Boko Haram insurgents terrorising the North-East geo-political zone of the country.

El-Rufai’s warning is coming as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has condemned the twin bomb blasts that occurred in Maiduguri, Borno State, last Wednesday, killing 22 people and injuring several others.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Mallam Samuel Aruwan, the Governor commended residents of the state for their vigilance, urging them to remain security-conscious and on alert.

He pointed out that “Churches and Mosques shall continue to maintain necessary security measures especially on major days of worship and congregation, particularly Sundays and Fridays.”

According to him, “the authorities responsible for places of mass gatherings such as markets, shopping malls and parks are also directed to step up security while visitors to such places should be vigilant and cooperate with the security procedures.”

“As the Easter period approaches, the government request that residents should report any and all suspicious persons and actions to the security agencies. In the light of the successes that the military is recording in the North-East theatre, the terrorists may be contemplating attacks on soft targets in murderous desperation. Therefore, residents are advised to remain vigilant and on alert, and to comply with security procedures as they go about their lawful businesses.”

In a statement issued by the Forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim, yesterday, the northern leaders “condemned in strong terms the continued use of female suicide bombers by Boko Haram terrorists to kill innocent people in the name of a religious war, as no religion condones such cruel and barbaric act.”

“This is an act of cowardice and wickedness on the part of the terrorists. ACF wishes to commend the Military and other security agencies for the continued onslaught on the terrorists’ enclaves and hideouts thereby dislodging them.