The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) have strongly condemned Friday’s death Alhaji Shehu Mustapha Idrissa Timta, the Emir of Gwoza in Borno State, in an attack by Boko Haram.

ACF National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, in a statement issued in Kaduna said that “the callous and wicked manner in which the late Emir was killed calls to question the escalating insecurity situation in the North east zone despite the emergency rule imposed on the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.”

JNI, on its part, described Alhaji Timta’s murder as gruesome. “The heinous attack is utterly condemnable in its totality,” JNI said in a press release in Kaduna signed by its Secretary General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu. “We again expect the Federal Government of Nigeria through its relevant security agencies to wake up to their respective responsibilities of protecting lives and property of Nigerians, especially in the North East. Enough diatribes had been heard on the ugly situation. Therefore, purposeful and coordinated pro-active measures must be on ground to check the menace of the insurgency,” said the umbrella body of Nigerian Muslims.

ACF appealed to Boko Haram members “to accept and embrace the amnesty proposal of the Federal Government and stop the wanton destruction of lives and property of innocent people who do not even understand the grievances of the sect,” adding: “Governments all levels should also commit themselves and show transparency in the execution of the amnesty programme in interest of peace and reconciliation.”

Both organisations extended their condolences to the family of the late Emir, the Shehu of Borno, the Gwoza Emirate Council and the Borno State Government, while sending their sympathy to their Royal Highnesses, the Emirs of Askira and Uba, who survived the attack as tey travelled in a convoy towards Gombe for the burial of the Emir of Gombe, Alhaji Shehu Abubakar, who died last week Tuesday.

JNI in its statement conveyed the appeal of its President-General, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, to all Muslims “to fervently continue praying for the restoration of peace and security in Nigeria bearing in mind that we are in the month of Sha’aban, approaching the sacred month of Ramadan. Similarly, all Imams are implored to continue with Qunut prayers in their respective mosques, for Allah's intervention and relief.”

•Photo shows late Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Shehu Mustapha Idrissa Timta.

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