KADUNA EXPLOSIONS: This Bloodletting Must Stop – Babangida
Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida, has condemned the twin bomb attacks in Kaduna state on Wednesday, July 23, which left at least 82 people dead.
General Ibrahim Babangida
Babangida, in a statement yesterday, said: “The latest attack in Kaduna on Wednesday by yet unknown persons has once again thrown up new dimensions in the political life of our dear country. This, and several other attacks have tended to portray our dear country as a terrorist nation that is grappling with insecurity. To state the least, this bloodletting must stop. This bloodletting has to stop.
“I have sat back in my quiet retirement home in Minna to ponder what could be the motivation for these several attacks, but I am yet to find any explanation why Nigerians would be killing fellow Nigerians. For those of us who fought the civil war, our painful sense of nostalgia still remains deep, as much as our patriotic attitude towards this great country, Nigeria. These wanton killings and needless bloodletting have continued to retard our growth and democratic journey, forcing the system to improvise all manners of mechanisms to arrest this descent to anarchy. It is callous and inhuman for anyone to goad this country on the path of perfidy, a path that is laid with landmines and bombs. This is totally unacceptable.
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“Even as I sympathise with my colleague former President, General Muhammadu Buhari for escaping the bomber’s scalpel, I also wish to condole with the families of those who lost their lives in this attack.
"It is frightening and calls for condemnation by all well meaning people of Nigeria. We all must rise above partisanship in our condemnation of this state of insecurity, as we all must be united in our clear-cut resolve to find solutions to this hydra-headed situation we find ourselves. We must see this state of insecurity as a Nigerian problem and not one that is pigeon-holed in any particular region, religion or tribe. Nigerians, by virtue of their nationality, should be free to live anywhere in the country without molestation, harassment and intimidation.
“Let me also condole with Mr. President on this unfortunate incident and the recurring decimal of insecurity and crime against humanity that is fast polluting public morality. We all must join hands with Mr. President at this critical time of our national history and democratic journey to proffer solutions to this anti-development scenario that is fast enveloping us.”
Meanwhile, the bomb attacks were reported to have targeted a Former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi.
Although the two were unhurt in the attack, Buhari, however, expressed shock as he said no threatening message or warning was sent to him prior to the attack, while Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, who described the attack as 'Un-Islamic, barbaric and condemnable', said: “In Allah we trust, as such nothing evil shall happen to me".
President Goodluck Jonathan, who condemned the attack, however, thanked God for sparing Buhari’s life.
Buhari’s wife also expressed shock over the assasination attempt on her husband.
Meanwhile, prominent Nigerians, the likes of ex Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, ex FCT Minister, Nasir El-Rufai, and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have condemned the July 23 terrorist attack.
Former Niger-Delta militant, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, however, has a different opinion. He described the Kaduna attack as a plot to cause calamity in Nigeria and push the military to take over from the president, adding there’ll be more attacks.
Source: Legit.ng
