The federal government has pledged to track and bring to justice, the perpetrators responsible for the recent killing of worshippers in Malumfashi local government area of Katsina State.
In a statement issued to journalists on Friday in Abuja, Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris, described the attack as callous and barbaric, condemning the murder of innocent citizens who had gathered peacefully to worship.
Idris stressed that such a crime must not go unpunished, adding that security forces were already on the trail of the criminals.
He assured that no stone will be left unturned until they were apprehended and held accountable for their actions.
The minister further assured Nigerians that justice will be swift and decisive, and that such acts of terror will never be allowed to take root in the country.
“The federal government condemns this wanton act of violence in the strongest terms. This is not only an assault on the people of Malumfashi, but also on our shared humanity and values as a nation,” he said.
Idris expressed President Bola Tinubu’s deepest condolences to the families of the deceased, the people of Malumfashi, and the Katsina State government.
“Their grief is our grief, and the government stands with them at this dark hour. May the Almighty grant the departed eternal rest and console the bereaved with the fortitude to bear this painful loss,” he said.
The Minister noted that, only recently, as part of the government’s efforts to bring terrorists to their knees, Nigeria’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) announced the arrest of top leaders of a brutal terrorist group.
He named the arrested persons to include Mahmud al-Nigeri of the Mahmuda group and his deputy, Abu Abba, along with Mahmud Muhammad Usman (also known as Abu Baraa) of the Ansaru group.
Idris disclosed that the arrested terrorist leaders had been on the international wanted list.
He emphasised that these arrests were evidence of the progress being made by Nigeria’s counter-terrorism operations, in line with President Tinubu’s directive that acts of terrorism against the Nigerian state and its citizens must become a thing of the past.
