President Bola Tinubu has condemned recent attacks by gunmen in Plateau State and Kaduna State, describing the incidents as barbaric and unacceptable.
The attacks occurred in Angwan Rukuba district in Jos and Kahir village in Kagarko Local Government Area, where several people were reportedly killed and others abducted, including wedding guests.
In a Tuesday statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President assured Nigerians that those responsible would be brought to justice.
“Anyone who will sneak under the cover of the night and kill defenceless citizens as done in Jos and Kahir village, is a heartless coward. By attacking soft targets in Jos, their objective is not only to cause harm but also trigger a spiral of reprisal attacks and further bloodletting,” he said.
Tinubu directed security agencies to intensify efforts to track down the perpetrators and curb the spread of misinformation capable of escalating tensions. He also cautioned sections of the media against suggesting that the attacks were religiously motivated.
The President reaffirmed that security agencies were actively addressing the situation and stressed the importance of public cooperation.
“I urge our security agencies to be more proactive in preventing these attacks by acting on early warning intelligence. All the remaining abductees from Kahir village must be rescued immediately,” he said. He also commended the efforts of Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang and Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani in managing the crises and supporting rescue operations.
“I commend Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State for his efforts in containing the situation in Jos and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State for supporting the rescue and containment efforts. I assure the people and government of the two states of my support,” the President said.
Tinubu expressed condolences to families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery, while reiterating the government’s commitment to strengthening security operations across the country. “Our government is currently acquiring more sophisticated equipment to enable our security agencies to track and smash criminals, in real time, wherever they are,” he added.
