The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) on Thursday urged the Federal Government and security agencies to take decisive action against terrorists following the fresh abduction of students and teachers from Government Day Secondary School in Lassa, Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
To this end, it warned that Nigeria must never surrender to terrorism.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its Public Affairs Officer, Abbas Jimoh, the council, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, condemned Monday’s attack, describing it as a barbaric assault that claimed the life of a teacher and resulted in the abduction of scores of students and school staff.
The council warned that the recurring attacks on schools were a national disgrace and a direct threat to Nigeria’s future.
It stressed that terrorism remained an existential danger requiring an uncompromising national response.
The council expressed concern that the latest incident occurred just weeks after the abduction of 42 pupils from Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in the same Askira Uba Local Government Area, as well as the kidnapping of 49 pupils and their teachers in Oyo State.
It noted that many of the victims were still in captivity, saying that the attack showed that terrorists continued to adapt their tactics by exploiting security gaps.
NSCIA cited the infiltration of Lassa Town on its market day before launching the assault.
It therefore called for stronger intelligence gathering, enhanced surveillance, closer inter-agency collaboration and improved community-based early warning systems to prevent future attacks.
The council also urged governments to adopt technology-driven security measures, pointing to the recent AI-powered security architecture introduced by the Enugu State Government as a model worthy of replication.
While commending troops of Operation HADIN KAI for rescuing some of the abducted victims, the NSCIA insisted that rescue efforts must continue until every student and teacher is safely reunited with their families.
The council also paid tribute to a soldier and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force who lost their lives during the rescue operation, describing their sacrifice as a testament to the resolve to defeat terrorism.
NSCIA said groups such as Boko Haram and ISWAP were enemies of both Islam and humanity, adding that their actions violated the religion’s teachings on the sanctity of life, justice and mercy.
The council extended its condolences to the Borno State Government, the affected school, families of the abducted victims and all those impacted by the attack, while reiterating its call for the perpetrators to be apprehended and brought to justice.
(The Whistler)