Army places N500,000 reward on insurgents

Yesterday, continued to trail Monday’s bombing of worshippers in the University of Maiduguri mosque in Borno State, as the Islamist militant group, Boko Haram, claimed responsibility for the act. The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, and All Progressives Congress, APC, have joined other Nigerians to condemn the attack, in which a professor of Veterinary Medicine, Professor Aliyu Mani, and six others were killed. Also yesterday, some students of the University of Maiduguri, UNIMAID, called for proactive security measures to contain the frequent attacks on their campus by Boko Haram terrorists. A video featuring an audio recording, purporting to be that of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, was posted on social media late on Monday. “The bomb that exploded on Monday morning; our brothers are responsible for it,” the recording said. CAN, while condemning the bombing, commiserated with the families of the victims and expressed optimism that the terrorist menace will soon be history. CAN President, Rev. Dr. Samson Ayokunle, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said only satanic agents could perpetrate such acts and wondered when worshipping God has become a crime. He said: “What offence did these worshippers commit to warrant this? Only demon-possessed individuals can be behind this type of act. “CAN commiserates with the family of the victims of the terrorist attack and prays for the comfort of the Holy Spirit for them. “The Association as well prays for quick recovery for those that were injured.” Ayokunle tasked the security agencies to go after the terrorists, who have been dislodged from their strongholds, but are going about attacking soft targets with a view to ending the menace as soon as possible. He urged members of the public to compliment the efforts of the security operatives by reporting suspected people to them. APC Similarly, APC also, yesterday, condemned the bomb attack. In a statement yesterday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party condoled with the families of victims. ”Even as we mourn with fellow citizens, who have fallen victims to the terrorists, we are consoled by the knowledge that Boko Haram ’s days are numbered and these indeed are its dying days,” the party said. It also condemned “this cowardly act by Boko Haram,” saying it views “this latest act of terror as another confirmation of the group’s desperation to remain in the national consciousness, having lost its former stronghold to the Nigerian Army.” Meanwhile, some UNIMAID students have called for proactive security measures to contain the frequent attacks on their campus by the insurgents. The students, who made the call yesterday in Maiduguri, said they would not be intimidated by the insurgents. They urged the management of the university to put in place “proactive security measures’’ to protect students and staff from further attacks. UNIMAID students react One of the students, Malam Ibrahim Sale, said Abubakar Shekau had been making empty threats in the past just to scare people. He said: “This is not the first time Shekau has been making empty threats on UNIMAID. You will recall he even said he would take over the campus sometime ago, but nothing happened.” Goni Mahmoud, another student, said: “We in Borno have seen it all. Since the university has never been closed even for once, what made him (Shekau) think anyone will take him seriously? “We believe his (Shekau) days are numbered; the army will be on his trail until he has no more hiding place.” Speaking on the same vein, Salamatu Bashir urged the military and school authorities to take proactive measures to forestall future occurrence. NLC raises alarm Also, Nigeria Labor Congress, NLC, yesterday, warned that the bomb attack on UNIMAID was an indication that the Boko Haram insurgents had regrouped among residents to engage in soft targets. NLC, in a statement by its President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, warned that the insurgents resorting to soft targets “is as dangerous and frightening as asymmetry warfare is more threatening to lives and properties than can be imagined. Nowhere in the country is safe under asymmetry warfare.” Congress called on Nigerians to be vigilant as various vigilante groups in the North-East evidently played commendable roles in the battle against terrorism. Bounty Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has declared a cash reward of N500, 000 for any person that volunteers information that can lead to the arrest of suicide bombers and their accomplice. The Army, in a statement by its spokesman, Brigadier General Usman, yesterday, said it was visibly worried at the current state of suicide bombings in the country. The statement read: “The spate of suicide bombings in the North-East and in particular, Maiduguri and Madagali metropolis, is assuming a disturbing proportion. “Consequently, the Nigerian Army is offering a reward of N500, 000 for any information that leads to the arrest of a suicide bomber, the guide to the suicide bomber, or discovery of the transit house or factory of the suicide bombers.”