June 19th, 2012
The Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Dr Babangida Aliyu, says the spate of bombings by Boko Haram and other forces are intended to cripple the region’s economy.
Aliyu, who is also the Governor of Niger State, said this on Monday in Minna in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Danladi Ndayebo.
“The conspiracy theory suggesting that Jama’atul Ahlil Sunnah Bil Da’awatil Wa Jihad popularly known as Boko Haram is solely responsible for the series of bombing attacks and killings of innocent people in the North calls for more investigation.
“The spate of explosions currently rocking the North may be part of a well co-ordinated attempt to cripple the economy of the region,’’ the governor said.
Aliyu said targeting of churches was a diversionary tactics used by the perpetrators of the dastardly acts to cause disaffection in the region.
“Given the level of sophistication involved in the activities of the perpetrators of the bombings, it is easy to conclude that some oblique forces are behind the violence in the North and not Boko Haram alone as widely believed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Sequel to the attacks on three churches in Kaduna on Sunday, Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar has ordered the strengthening of security in and around Kaduna and the neighbouring states.
A statement by the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, in Abuja on Monday stated that the police had developed an operational order, incorporating a standard operational procedure to be adopted by state commands and other formations.
Abubakar directed police personnel to patrol all known flash points and highways to consolidate the gains of the peace in the state, while at the same time ensuring that no breach takes place in the adjoining states.
This, he added, would be used in deploying police operatives in and around places of worship and other vulnerable public installations across the country to prevent and manage attacks targeted at such institutions.
In addition, the police said it was working closely with the state government, local governments, religious leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to ensure that peace is attained.
“Meanwhile, Kaduna is currently calm and normalcy has since been restored. The DIG in charge ‘A’ Department, DIG Suleiman Fakai who has temporarily relocated from Force Headquarters Abuja to Kaduna, is coordinating Police operations and response strategies,” Mba said. -Punch