Date: 2012-04-11

Governor Abdufattah Ahmed of Kwara State and his Anambra State counterpart, Peter Obi, have joined Nigerians in condemning the bomb blasts in Kaduna and Jos on Sunday, where scores were killed and several others injured.

Also, the Christian Association of Nigeria and a Muslim leader in Kwara State as well as the wife of the Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, Talatu, have also condemned the bombings.

While CAN described the bombings as satanic, Ahmed called on security agencies to rise up to the challenge of curtailing the spate of insecurity in the country.

Ahmed said the series of bomb explosions in the country were alien to the nation's culture laced with humanity and spirit of brotherliness.

He urged security agencies to ensure adequate conformity with the county's immigration laws to checkmate the activities of foreigners probably masquerading as Nigerians.

He expressed fears that the series of bombings might ultimately slow down the developmental strides of the government at the centre and state levels.

Obi said in a statement on Sunday by his Special Assistaint on Media and Publicity, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, that the killings negated the spirit of Easter.

He said instead of harnessing the celebration to bring the people closer to one another in the spirit of love and understanding, some people chose, instead, to use it to promote the culture of hate.

Jang called for prayers to God to continue to protect Nigerians from the spate of incessant attacks.

The governor's wife, in a statement in Jos on Sunday by her Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Akila Kasham, asked Nigerians to take the benefit of the lessons of Easter and the spirit of sacrifice as exemplified by Jesus Christ when he offered himself as a sacrificial lamb on the cross of Calvary to save mankind.

She pleaded with those behind the incessant attacks on innocent Nigerians to have a change of heart, saying no one had the right to take another person's life.

The Chairman, CAN, Kwara State chapter, Dr. James Foloranmi, described the Easter blasts on Sunday as satanic.

In a telephone interview with our correspondent on Monday, Foloranmi called on the Federal Government to urgently address the growing insecurity in the country.

He said, "The incidence is satanic and against the unity of this country. The people who are planting the bombs are definitely agents of destruction. On the religious aspect, Nigerians are tired of them. They are enemies of this country.

"The Federal Government should intensify efforts to curb insecurity and stop the activities of these people. They should not treat them with kids' gloves. Evil doers should be brought to book and Nigerians should see it as being so."

A member of the Inter-Religious Committee, Kwara State, and a muslim leader, who preferred to be anonymous, condemned the blast, adding that attacks on Christians during their festive days were condemnable.

He said, "Attacking innocent Christians at the time of their festivity, is very bad. It happened during Christmas in December.

"There is nothing in Islam that forbids muslims and non-muslims living together in one and single society and there is no excuse to say every person must be a Muslim."

He stated that the Quran did not tolerate or allow self destruction or suicide. He said Islam holds life sacred, adding that it is gift of God to mankind.