At a time of national mourning following the multiple blasts in the suburbs of Abuja, the Nigerian capital, the two leading political parties in the country in a rare show of unity have condemned the attacks by Boko Haram. Both described the bombings as cowardly acts.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) said no amount of such attacks will save the Boko Haram terrorists from imminent defeat.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the attacks, as well as other recent ones, are part of the cowardly tactics of the terrorists to focus on soft targets, after the military has succeeded in putting them on the run.
It said the avowed determination of the Buhari Administration to crush Boko Haram, which has seen the military recording a string of successes against the terrorists, will not be weakened by these dastardly acts that are nothing but the last kicks of a dying monster.
APC appealed to Nigerians to be vigilant since Boko Haram members who have been smoked out of their strongholds may be seeking refuge elsewhere across the country.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, condemned the bomb blasts at Nyanya and Kuje areas of Abuja as barbaric and cowardly.
PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in a statement on Saturday said the party was shocked by the news of the gruesome attacks in the two towns, which claimed the lives of citizens going about their normal endeavours.
The party said it is particularly pained that the senseless and wicked attacks came just 24 hours after the nation celebrated its 55th independence anniversary, when the citizens and their leaders renewed their faith in the oneness and progress of the nation.
“The PDP deeply grieves for the continued acts of terrorism, especially in the northern parts of the country, where insurgents are still slaughtering innocent Nigerians almost by the day.
“Indeed, this is not the way to go. We can no longer afford to continue to have our people cut down and slaughtered. We all, as Nigerians, must therefore close ranks and present a common front in support of our government and security forces in the fight against terrorism in our country.
“It is on this note that we restate our support for each and every policy undertaken by the Government of President Muhammadu Buhari aimed at ending insurgency and checking criminal activities in our nation”, the party said.
The PDP, however, urged government officials to do less of talking and pay more attention to issues of intelligence gathering, as well as social and direct military actions against terrorism.
The party also called on Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue to support and pray for the security forces as they risk their lives to ensure the safety of other citizens.
Both parties commiserated with the families of those who lost their lives in the attacks and prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss.