Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State has expressed shock and disbelief on the attack of the United Nations (UN) building in Abuja.
Jang in a statement issued in Jos, the Plateau State capital yesterday, and signed by Mr. James Mannock, director of press affairs, Government House Jos said, this is a challenge on the collective will and effort of all leaders and people of goodwill to step up on the fight against act of terror wherever they occur.
He sympathises with the victims, adding that he stands with President Goodluck Jonathan at this moment of national grief, while urging him not to lose focus but intensify his fight against every form of terrorism.
Meanwhile, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN) have condemned Friday’s bombing of the UN House in Abuja, where a number of deaths were recorded.
Speaking with the journalists in Lagos, the groups urged the government to address the security challenges facing the country.
Chairman, NBA, Ikeja branch, Mr Adebamigbe Omole, said that bomb blasts had become a common occurrence in Nigeria because of “security lapses’’.
He said that government has the responsibility to protect lives and property of the citizens and urged that security be made a priority.
“There is an urgent need to focus on security and make it a priority by the government.’’
Omole said it was ironic that the government had intervened urgently in the crisis rocking the nation’s judiciary, but the perpetrators of such dastardly acts across the country had not been brought to justice.
Ex-officio member of MULAN, Lagos branch, Mr Ajibola Kaka, said it was wrong for any group of persons to carry out such an action, particularly during the Ramadan.
“We are not in support of the dastardly act because many innocent lives have been lost. No matter their grievances, they should not resort to violence.
“We believe the bombing of UN House is due to the lopsidedness of governance and we feel it is high time the government addressed the issue of security,’’ he said.
The president, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Mr Peter Esele, said the security agencies should explain to Nigerians and the international community why the incident happened.
Esele called for the overhauling of the nation’s security system to curtail threats to peace and stability.
“The security agencies owe Nigerians the responsibility of providing adequate security for lives and property, but something is definitely wrong.
“It is time to take a drastic action to stop these incessant incidents,’’ Esele said.
He also said it was regrettable that many people had been killed in parts of the country without any decisive step to stop the menace.
Acting general secretary, Nigerian Labour Congress, Mr Owei Lakemfa, while reacting to the ugly incidence said: “It is a tragic incident and the perpetrators must be brought to book.
“It is unfortunate. Anybody can be a victim. We commiserate with the families of those who died in the blast.
“We appeal to government to look into the worsening state of security in the country.’’ (NAN)