ACF expresses concern about Boko Haram attacks

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed concern about the recent attacks by Boko Haram on Monguno, Kukawa and Maiduguri in Borno State in which many people died.
A statement on Sunday in Kaduna by Muhammad Ibrahim, the National Publicity Secretary of the group, described the attacks and killings by the insurgent group as worrisome.
“ACF is worried and, indeed, Nigerians are worried and disturbed with the recent and frequent attacks on villages and even state capitals of Borno and Yobe by the Boko Haram insurgents.
“The renewed direct attack on the people in the Monguno, Kukawa, Maiduguri and many villages in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states is cruel, barbaric and condemnable especially in the holy month of Ramadan.
“This clearly shows that the Boko Haram insurgents are cults in form, character and operation as their claim to be Muslims is untenable.
“Islam enjoined Muslims not to fight during the month of Ramadan no matter the provocation, talk less of attacking and killing innocent people for no just cause,’’ it said
The ACF said that the activities of the insurgents posed a serious challenge to the military and other security agencies.
It commended the decision of the Federal Government to move the military operational command from Abuja to Maiduguri and the establishment of the Multinational Military Joint Task-force.
The group also lauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s visits to Niger and Chad and for soliciting the support of other foreign leaders at the G7 and African Union summits in the fight against Boko Haram.
It tasked the frontline soldiers and other security agencies to translate into action the efforts of the president to put an end to the loss of innocent lives.
ACF further urged the security agencies to employ new strategy and intelligence gathering to smoke out the terrorists from their enclaves and hideouts.
“With the adequate supply of equipment and other logistic support to the military, Nigerians expect to see offensive attack on the terrorists,’’ it said.
The group also urged communities in the affected areas to cooperate with the security agencies in the area of intelligence gathering.
It condoled the families of those killed in the dastardly acts of the terrorists and the people and governments of the affected states.