Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, has commiserated with the families of victims of the bomb blasts in Jos on May 20, which claimed over 120 lives.
Theodore Orji
He described it as barbaric and wicked and urged Nigerians not to lose hope but to be more vigilant.
A statement Orji issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Ajunwa, implored all stakeholders to support the federal and state governments to contain violent crime.
He urged religious leaders to teach peace and love, as stated in Nigeria’s two major religions, Christianity and Islam, and tasked the security agencies to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice.
“If I’m able to overcome kidnapping here [in Abia State] with the assistance of the federal government, there is no state that cannot overcome, once you are determined and resolute about it and ready to invest and put resources in it, you will overcome.
“The advice I will give Nigerians is that we should not despair, this is our country, we are still here and should be ready to defend our country because the insurgency is a sort of war and we have to stay and fight it.
“We are going to make sure that we fight and suppress insurgency, kidnapping and other crimes.”
President Goodluck Jonathan has given assurance that the government is determined to win the war against terror, pledging that Abuja will not be cowed by the atrocities of the enemies of human progress and civilisation.
More than 1,500 people died in attacks by Boko Haram in the first three months of this year after the group stepped up its campaign.
At least 105 were killed in twin bomb blasts in Abuja on April 14 and a suicide car bomber killed five in Kano on May 18.
Britain, the United States, France and Israel are providing help to rescue the schoolgirls.