The lawmaker representing Borno South, Senator Ali Ndume, has warned against religious profiling in the wake of renewed Boko Haram attacks, insisting that the insurgents kill Muslims and Christians alike.
Ndume, in a statement on Wednesday, reacted to weekend attacks on Ngoshe village in Gwoza Local Government Area and Mussa community in Askira-Uba Local Government Area of the state.
At least eight people were killed in the separate incidents. Five Muslim farmers lost their lives in Ngoshe on Saturday, while three Christians were murdered in Mussa on Sunday, where houses and shops were also set ablaze.
The senator, who described the killings as “heartbreaking and deeply painful,” saluted the sacrifices of troops under Operation Hadin Kai battling the insurgents.
He promised to continue pressing for stronger security measures, including more personnel, better weapons and improved intelligence to protect rural dwellers. He also urged residents to stay vigilant and work closely with security agencies.
Ndume, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, faulted an online report which claimed that all the victims of the latest attacks were Christians.
He said, “The forces behind these mindless killings are blind to faith and tribe. We should avoid this dangerous profiling, which can distract us. It tends to do us more harm.
“It can even inflame negative passion in our soldiers, dampen the morale of men who toil day and night, determined to ensure that they wipe away this dangerous sect.
“Our people, whose only pursuit is peace and livelihood, continue to fall victim to the cruelty of insurgents. These men and women deserved to live, to farm and to dream, but their lives are being cut short by those who thrive on violence and destruction.”
Ndume, while commending the military for sustaining pressure on the terrorists, urged the Federal Government to prioritise the welfare of soldiers and provide sufficient arms and ammunition to defeat Boko Haram.