The Southern Governors’ Forum has demanded justice for victims of the recent terror attack in Kwara State, which left at least 162 people dead in the communities of Woro and Nuku.
Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, expressed the forum’s position on Saturday in a statement issued in Abeokuta, where he sympathised with the Kwara State Government and families affected by the attack.
Abiodun described the incident as a tragic act of violence against innocent and law-abiding citizens who were going about their normal lives.
He condemned the reason for the attack which targeted residents who allegedly refused to adopt Sharia law.
He noted that houses and shops were set ablaze while several people were abducted.
According to him, such actions violate Nigeria’s constitutional order and the right of citizens to freedom of religion.
“Nigeria is a secular state, and no group has the right to force its beliefs on others through violence,” Abiodun said.
The Southern Governors’ Forum called on security agencies to urgently track down those responsible and ensure they face the full weight of the law.
“On behalf of myself and my colleagues in the Southern Governors’ Forum, I express our deepest condolences over the dastardly terror attack in Kwara State, in which jihadists murdered innocent people in cold blood.
“This is senseless violence that must be nipped in the bud. We urge the security agencies to intensify their operations against the perpetrators of this terrible incident and bring them to book. They must never get away with this. They must be hunted down and dealt with severely,” he said.
The Forum extended its condolences to Governor AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq and the people of Kwara State for the lives lost and the destruction resulting from the attack.
Gov. Abiodun stated that the governors stand in solidarity with the state during this difficult period and called on security agencies to take all necessary measures to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent further harm to innocent citizens.
