The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) has condemned the recent terrorist attack on Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira Uba local government area of Borno state.
It described the abduction of students and teachers as a crime against humanity.
The council also called on the federal government and security agencies to adopt more decisive measures to combat terrorism, warning that repeated attacks on schools pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s future.
In a statement issued Thursday by its Public Affairs Officer, Abbas Jimoh, the NSCIA, under the leadership of its President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, expressed outrage over Monday’s attack, during which a teacher was killed while scores of students and teachers were abducted.
The council said the incident highlighted the persistent threat posed by terrorist groups and underscored the need for an uncompromising national response.
“It is of the strong opinion that the unconscionable acts of kidnapping and murder of schoolchildren constitute a despicable crime against humanity. That these unfortunate incidents have continued to reoccur is a national disgrace that strikes at the very heart of Nigeria’s future and must be stopped immediately,” the statement reads.
The NSCIA noted that the latest attack came barely weeks after the May 15 abduction of 42 pupils of 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 Oriire local government area of Oyo state, adding that many of the victims remain in captivity.
The council expressed concern that the terrorists allegedly infiltrated Lassa community on its market day before launching the attack, saying the development showed that insurgents were continually adapting their tactics and exploiting security gaps.