VP Shettima Mourns Borno Terror Attack Victims, Condemns Killing Of Innocent Lives

VP Shettima mourns Borno terror attack victims, condemns killing of innocent lives Nigeria’s Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has expressed deep sorrow over a recent terror attack in Maiduguri, Borno State, and condemned the killing of innocent lives, saying “no religion endorses the taking of innocent life.”

Shettima spoke on Tuesday during the closing session of the Annual Ramadan Tafsir at the State House Mosque in Abuja, where he led prayers for those killed and urged Nigerians to reject violence and maintain national unity. The remarks came after multiple explosions rocked Maiduguri on Monday, killing at least 25 people in different high‑density locations across the city. Local officials and security sources say the blasts, widely attributed to insurgent extremists, have heightened fear and prompted increased vigilance in the region. Shettima described the attacks as “senseless” and prayed for the victims’ souls, asking that Almighty Allah grant them eternal rest and give strength to their families to endure the loss In his address, the vice president emphasised that the sanctity of human life is a core teaching of all major faiths and that acts of terrorism have no justification in any religion. “Whatever is motivating them, may Allah either guide them onto the right path or may Allah vanish them from the surface of the earth,” he said. He urged Nigerians across all faiths to continue to pray for the nation, for President Bola Tinubu and his administration, and for wisdom, courage and justice in service The federal government, under President Tinubu’s leadership, has condemned the attacks and been working with security agencies to tackle insurgency in the North‑East. Service chiefs and top security officials are reported to be taking charge of counter‑insurgency operations in Maiduguri as part of intensified efforts to secure the area. Shettima’s comments reflect a broader push by national leaders to unite Nigerians against terrorism and to reject attempts to divide communities along religious or ethnic lines. Borno State has been at the centre of insurgent violence for years, with extremist groups carrying out attacks on civilians, markets, places of worship and public spaces, resulting in large numbers of deaths and injuries. Analysts say the violence has complex roots in militant ideology, criminality and longstanding regional instability, with religious identity often exploited but not inherently the cause of conflict.