Independence Day Terrorist Bombings Unacceptable – NLC
ABUJA, Oct 05, (THEWILL) - The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) today condemned the act of terrorism unleashed during the Independence Day celebration describing it as criminal and cowardly, saying that the atrocious act of terrorism is indeed sad, unfortunate and totally unacceptable to Nigerians.
The General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade John Odah in a statement said: "The Nigeria Labour Congress unequivocally condemns this dastardly act which has further traumatized our national psyche especially on a day we were supposed to be celebrating our Golden Independence Jubilee. We also sympathize with the families of those who lost their lives and those who were wounded in the bomb blast."
NLC said the unfortunate incident is another sad reminder of the grave state of insecurity currently prevalent in Nigeria, recalling that just a week ago, fifteen pupils of Abanyi International School, Aba were kidnapped on their way to school and their kidnappers brazenly demanded for millions of naira for their release. This is not to mention numerous cases of abductions, armed robberies and ethno-religious crisis that have become recurring decimals on our streets on daily basis.
It further said that the latest introduction of bomb explosions in the nation’s lexicon of violent crime tends to suggest that the security crisis is spiralling out of control, adding that this upsurge in criminality in Nigeria must be nipped in the bud immediately, while calling on the Federal Government to leave no stone unturned in unmasking the perpetrators of this devilish act and take drastic steps to bring them to justice.
"We must also point out that beyond exposing the brains behind those explosions and other violent crimes, the Federal Government should beef up the intelligence and crime preventive capacity of our security agencies. It is quite disturbing that this incident occurred despite speculations that there were intelligence reports leaking the plot to our security agencies."
NLC also called on the Federal Government to publish the names of Nigerians who paid the supreme price as a result of this barbaric incident and also initiate steps to compensate the families of both the dead and wounded.
NLC is of the view that this would be the last of such incidents especially as Nigeria enters a period of political campaigns and electioneering, stressing that the bomb blasts of October 01, 2010 is definitely a false start into the second half of our centenary as an independent nation.