Jonathan condemns Kano, Potiskum attacks

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday in Abuja condemned the reversion by the Boko Haram terrorist group to the bombing of soft targets in parts of the country.

This was contained in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati.

Jonathan said that the recent bomb blasts in Potiskum and Kano were coming in the wake of recovery of areas formerly controlled by the insurgents by Nigerian troops and their multinational allies.

He commiserated with the families who lost their loved ones in the bombings.

“The President shares the grief of the bereaved families and is deeply saddened by the continued loss of many innocent lives at the hands of misguided and desperate fanatics who are now feeling the heat of the intense counter–insurgency operation by the Nigerian Armed Forces.

“The President assures all Nigerians and the people of the North-Eastern states in particular that the days of mourning victims of incessant terrorist attacks in the country will soon be over as the tide has now definitely turned against Boko Haram.

“President Jonathan further assures the people of Nigeria that the gallant, courageous and patriotic officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces, supported with new platforms, equipment and logistics provided by the Federal Government will carry the ongoing operations against the terrorists through to a successful conclusion in the shortest possible time.”

Jonathan promised that his administration would continue to take necessary actions to guarantee the success of ongoing military operations against the terrorist group.

He said that measures were being taken to drastically reduce the sect’s ability to take and hold territory or recruit, groom and brainwash young person’s to undertake suicide bombing attacks on soft targets.

NAN reports that about 25 persons were reported killed on Tuesday following suicide bomb attacks by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect at motor parks in Kano and Potiskum, Yobe state.

Three similar suicide bomb attacks were carried out by an under-aged female bombers at market places in Potiskum, within the past two weeks, claiming lives and injuring many others.