Recent church attacks in Owo, Ondo State, and the southern portion of Kaduna State were “planned and politically driven criminal outrages,” according to the Presidency, which noted that it would not be diverted by such intrigues.
The Presidency stated in a Wednesday statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President for Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, that the attacks are intended to pit different parts of the country against one another.
The statement headlined ‘Recent wave of church attacks unacceptable’ stated, “From the tragedy in Owo two weeks ago, which shocked our nation to its core, to the killings and kidnappings just this weekend in Kaduna State, it is evident that evil people have a plan to put the country under religious stress.
“According to President Muhammadu Buhari, religious freedom and diversity are what make Nigeria great. This diversity provides Nigeria with its strength. By pitting us against one another, Nigeria’s adversaries hope to destroy the country.
“We will not allow it. These clearly organized and politically motivated criminal acts will not distract or divide the nation. The perpetrators are cowards, weak and evil individuals armed with firearms who murdered innocent women and children at their places of worship in cold blood.
“The criminals will be punished for their cowardice. They will be brought to justice. Rest assured that Nigeria’s powerful security and intelligence forces are fully engaged in this effort,” the message continued.
In the meantime, the House of Representatives has condemned the alleged extrajudicial executions committed by members of the Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, and other security agencies in Ogun State border villages.
Jimoh Olaifa, the lawmaker representing Egbado North/Imeko Afon Federal Constituency of Ogun State, introduced a motion titled “Need to Rescue Asa, Oju Ogun, Ibeku, and Agbon Communities of Egbado-North Local Government Area and Kajo, Apata, and Agberiodo Communities of Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State” on Wednesday, which was unanimously approved by the plenary
Olaifa stated that Nigeria is currently facing security issues that have resulted in loss of life and destruction of property, “therefore impacting the socioeconomic development of communities in the federal constituency.”
Separately, the House approved a motion by Ibrahim Isiaka, representing the federal constituency of Ifo/Ewekoro, urging the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to “urgently mobilize resources for condition assessment and commence immediate rehabilitation of the failed sections of the collapsed Itori Bridge along the Sango–Abeokuta Expressway in Ogun State.”