The organised labour has condemned Monday’s killing of 47 school children by a suicide bomber in Yobe State, describing the onslaught against innocent children as shocking, senseless and wicked.
Speaking under the umbrella of Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the labour bodies called on the federal government to take drastic measures to arrest the situation.
TUC, in a statement jointly issued by its President and Secretary, Bobboi Kaigama and Musa Lawal respectively expressed concern that the incident occurred barely 24 hours before President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration of his interest in seeking a second term in office.
It equally expressed sadness that the Boko Haram terrorists have hoisted their ignoble flags in some local government areas in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States and have continued to wreck havoc in communities seized by them.
The Congress called on the perpetrators of the dastardly acts to end all hostilities and allow peace reign in the country.
“The TUC sees this latest onslaught on innocent school children as senseless, misplaced and wicked. We deplore the reprehensible attempt to deprive Nigerians total peace and security and make us live in fear everyday. Too many Nigerians who escaped road accidents, air mishaps or shipwrecks and other life-threatening events have ended up being killed by their fellow Nigerians and foreigners turned insurgents. The Congress therefore insists that the perpetrators and master-minds of these crimes be made to sheathe their swords and allow peace reign willy-nilly,” the Congress said.
It also urged the federal government to speed up action on the $1 billion loan facility approved by the Senate for procurement of arms and ammunition to counter the insurgency in the country.
“The leaders of the nation must not rest on their oars. In concert with the military and other security agencies, they should re-strategise on ways to effectively rout the insurgents and end their gruesome reign of terror, especially now that the ill-fated “ceasefire” has been confirmed dead-on-arrival. Security intelligence, surveillance and other more proactive measures should be adopted to beef up security in the land.
“In this context, the installation of functional close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all schools, at strategic street corners, churches, mosques and other public places would not be out of place. Furthermore, all the insurgents that have been apprehended by the Nigerian military and police should be promptly prosecuted and, if found guilty, appropriately sentenced to serve as deterrent to their cohorts. Special focus should be on identifying and penalising their sponsors. Nigerians must not be left at the mercy of Boko Haram,” the statement added.
Also, NUPENG called for a major military offensive to wipe out the Boko Haram menace and put an end to the murders.
In a statement by its President, Igwe Achese, the union pointed out that the recent suicide bombings of innocent students in Yobe calls for concern and spirited effort on the part of the intelligence unit of the security services to develop new scientific strategies to destroy the Boko Haram insurgents as they are no spirits.
The union implored the federal government to fully employ the services of local hunters, the civilian JTF and others who understand the terrain very well and know the insurgents to overrun their enclaves.
It stressed the need for security forces to be better equipped with military hardwares and night vision equipment to overpower the insurgents who are also using sophisticated weapons.
Speaking further, the union stated that the recent onslaught by Boko Haram has made a mess of the ceasefire agreement and negotiation, which is a stab on the back of the government.
The union advises the federal government to be sure of the genuineness of those people they are negotiating with.
“Politicians and leaders must rethink their snail-speed, slothful attitude and response to the security challenges in the nation. Across political, ethnic, religious and socio-economic lines, and in conformity with the dictates of their respective offices, they must act in the interest of the poor masses whose mandate they claim to have received. They must earn their upkeep and the trust of Nigerians,” the union added.
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