Coalitions Condemn Deadly Maiduguri Bomb Attacks, Demand Urgent Security Overhaul
The National Coalition Against Mass Killings and Impunity (NCAMKI) has issued a strong condemnation of the devastating bomb explosions that rocked Maiduguri, Borno State, warning that Nigeria must not slide back into an era of widespread terrorism, fear, and mass killings. The coordinated blasts targeted critical locations including the entrance of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, the bustling Monday Market area, and the Post Office vicinity, shattering the fragile peace that had been gradually rebuilt following years of insurgency in the North-East region.
Coalition Expresses Solidarity with Victims and Calls for Immediate Action
NCAMKI, sharing the profound pain, outrage, and frustration felt by Nigerians over the continuing cycle of killings, banditry, and terrorist violence across the country, emphasized that no society should ever normalize the tragic loss of innocent lives. The coalition extended heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the government and people of Borno State, and the Shehu of Borno, whose domain has once again been plunged into mourning. They also offered prayers for the swift recovery of all those injured in the horrific explosions.
In a statement signed by its Deputy Coordinator and General Secretary, Tunde Solomon Agunbiade, the group called for urgent and decisive action from the Federal Government, the Borno State Government, and all security agencies. They urged these authorities to move beyond routine responses and confront the renewed terrorist threat with determination and effectiveness.
Specific Demands for Security Enhancement and Accountability
The coalition made several critical demands to address the security crisis:
- Intensify efforts to identify and decisively deal with the sponsors and financiers of terrorism.
- Urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to cut short his ongoing trip to the United Kingdom and return to take direct charge of the security situation, describing his presence in the country as imperative during this period of renewed violence.
- Adopt appropriate technology and new strategies to decisively confront and neutralize this resurgence of terror.
NCAMKI acknowledged the public's frustration, stating, "We understand why many citizens feel that way. When attacks reoccur, perpetrators go unpunished, and communities remain devastated and unprotected. It creates a perception that someone very powerful somewhere must be enabling the violence."
However, the coalition maintained a responsible, evidence-based position, highlighting several key issues:
- Serious security failures and gaps that must be addressed urgently.
- Impunity, where failure to arrest and prosecute attackers fuels further violence.
- Possible collaboration by criminal informants or local enablers and benefactors should be thoroughly investigated.
- Allegations of official complicity must be proven through credible and independent inquiry.
"We must demand truth and not speculation because unverified accusations can inflame tensions and distract from real solutions," the group noted.
The coalition stressed that justice has been painfully slow or non-existent in many instances, while survivors urgently need protection, relief, rehabilitation, and resettlement. NCAMKI called for immediate protection of vulnerable communities, arrest and prosecution of perpetrators, benefactors, and sponsors, independent investigations into major attacks, support for victims and displaced persons, and strengthening of intelligence and early-warning systems with accountability for all security and public officials.
Second Coalition Echoes Concerns, Criticizes Foreign Troop Deployment
In a separate development, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) also condemned the deadly bomb attacks in Maiduguri. In a statement by its National Coordinator, Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, the group described the coordinated explosions as "barbaric and cowardly." CNG stated that the attacks were not only heinous but also a troubling indication that terrorist elements were once again testing the nation's resolve.
The coalition expressed deep concern over renewed activities linked to Boko Haram in parts of the North-East, warning that this resurgence coincides with the controversial deployment of foreign troops in the region. Charanchi asserted, "Let this be stated with absolute clarity that Nigeria must never, and will never, return to the dark era of bomb-blasts, fear, and mass killings."
CNG reiterated its opposition to the deployment of American troops, stating, "We opposed such deployment ab initio. We restate our position that Nigeria has the capacity and institutional strength to tackle its security challenges without reliance on foreign troops, whose presence may complicate the situation."
The group called on the Federal Government to urgently review this approach and ensure all security strategies are anchored on national interest, accountability, and transparency. CNG renewed its call for intensified efforts to identify and decisively deal with sponsors and financiers of terrorism, emphasizing that those who fund and sustain terror must no longer operate with impunity and must be tracked, prosecuted, and dealt with ruthlessly without fear or favor, regardless of status or connections.
