Nigerians must increase vigilance to defeat Boko Haram – NLC

The leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday urged Nigerians across the country to be more vigilant as efforts geared toward tackling the insecurity challenges in the country.

Ayuba Wabba, NLC President who gave the charge in a statement issued in Abuja, condemned the Monday’s twin bomb blast that killed four people in University of Maiduguri, Borno state.

“We received the news of the unfortunate suicide bomb attack at the University of Maiduguri in the early hours of this Monday with deep grief as it is coming so soon after the military massive attack on the Sambisa Forest where members of the Boko Haram terrorist group had operated for over seven years.

“The attack, which took the lives of members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities as well as students of the university, including a Professor of Veterinary Medicine, Professor Aliyu Mani, who until his death, was the Director of the University’s Veterinary Hospital, also injured over 17 people who are workers and students of the University,” he said.

While commending the gallantry efforts of the Nigerian military and security agencies for the successes achieved so far on the decisive battle against the terrorists, Wabba stressed the need for the security agencies to “go further by intensifying intelligence as the terror gang has obviously re-grouped among residents across the country and prepared themselves for soft targets.

“This is as dangerous and frightening as asymmetry warfare is more threatening to lives and property than can be imagined. Nowhere in the country is safe under asymmetry warfare.

“We urge residents everywhere in the country to be vigilant as the various Vigilante groups in the North East evidently played commendable roles in the battle against terrorism.

“These groups should be encouraged while every resident should maintain vigilance and watch out for strange objects and suspicious persons who may have mixed up with the populace to unleash mayhem.

“We emphasise citizen’s vigilance because it is only the citizens and residents of every community that can clearly identify strange faces.

“All parents should advise their children and wards to avoid collecting any item from strange people as it has also become clearer that unsuspecting children are being used by the terrorists to drop bags containing deadly devices in congregations of all types, especially places of worship,” the NLC chieftain pleaded.

While stressing the need for government to give all those injured in the attack the best medical care to enable them recover as quickly as possible, the Congress empathized with the families of those who died in the twin suicide attacks as well as the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the University authority and the government of Borno State.