Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has advised community, religious and political leaders to take urgent steps in ending the needless and brutal killings of innocent people going on in the country. The former Vice President, who made the call in his Sallah message released by his media office in Abuja expressed deep concern at the rate innocent people are being gun down daily by terror groups in Borno, Yobe and elsewhere.
According to him, the killing of innocent people by these dangerous armed groups breaches the teachings of Islam, which places high premium on the sanctity of life.
He regretted the extent to which life has been devalued by terror groups and those fighting them, and the consequences of these on the social and economic life in northern Nigeria.
The Turaki Adamawa said there was no justification for the killings of innocent people along with their children.
Atiku noted that the worst injustice and human right infringement is to destroy the life of innocent and defenseless people.
The former Vice President said northern religious, community and political leaders should no longer limit their outrage to lamentation and helplessness.
Atiku advised leaders in the areas affected by terror activities to begin an urgent audit of their people and neighbours with a view to identifying those responsible for the misery inflicted on the north by these worsening deaths of innocent people.
He said effective human intelligence gathering could help communities to rid themselves of people that pose a danger to the society.
According to him, the time for blaming shadowy groups for these heartless killings had passed, adding that the Borno elders and other opinion leaders should take active measures to stop this looming anarchy posing the greatest security threat in recent memory.
The former Vice President warned that Northerners should not wait for outsiders to end needless deaths of innocent people daily.
He noted that the militarization of the northeast would have been unnecessary if the community leaders had taken active measures to identify the activities of people in their domain and what they do for a living.
The Turaki Adamawa, while wishing Muslims a peaceful and happy Salah, advised leaders of these militant groups to soften their hearts and open their minds to reason and embrace dialogue and disarmament for the sake of humanity and God.