•Nigerian lawyers
Nigeran lawyers under the aegis of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), have condemned the series of violent attacks that happened in the country on Monday, calling for immediate and decisive government action to halt what it described as the “growing culture of brazen violence” across Nigeria.
In a statement issued today by the NBA General Secretary, Mobolaji Ojibara, the association decried the abduction of 25 schoolgirls from Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State after armed terrorists stormed the school hostel, killed a teacher, and engaged security operatives in a gun duel.
The association noted that the attack was a grim reminder of the longstanding pattern of impunity and mass abductions in northern Nigeria.
According to the statement, “Just hours earlier, Nigeria lost one of its senior military officers, Brigadier-General M. Uba, in an ambush by ISWAP terrorists in Borno State. That brutal assault followed another coordinated ambush in the same region, resulting in additional tragic deaths of soldiers.”
The NBA described the two incidents as part of escalating terrorist aggression targeting both civilians and security forces.
“These terrorists are not only attacking unarmed civilians; they are now openly targeting members of the Armed Forces. The grim message is clear: no one is safe,” the NBA stated.
The association also referenced a recent intelligence alert issued by the Department of State Services (DSS), warning of planned ISWAP attacks in Ondo and Kogi states, describing the threat as a “clear and present danger.”
The NBA president, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, called for decisive leadership and demanded a time-bound rescue mission for the abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi and a full public inquiry into the security lapses that enabled the killing of Brigadier-General Uba and his colleagues.
He further urged the prosecution of all collaborators, financiers, and enablers of terrorism, including those within or outside the security system, and pressed for the complete implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative to protect educational institutions in high-risk areas.
He praised the teacher who died defending students during the Kebbi attack and paid tribute to Brigadier-General Uba and the fallen soldiers.
“This is not just about security. It is about leadership. It is about justice. Above all, it is about the soul of this nation. Silence is complicity. Delay is dangerous. The time to act is now,” he said.
The NBA reaffirms its commitment, stating that it won’t be silent while Nigeria edges towards a National tragedy of unimaginable proportions.
