Buhari calls for intensified collaborative efforts against terrorism after Paris attacks

Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday called on world leaders to intensify collaborative efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism across the world after a series of fatal attacks claimed by Islamic State were unleashed on France.

France’s President Francois Hollande described the attacks as  ‘act of war’.

“President Buhari calls on all peace-loving nations of the world to intensify ongoing multilateral cooperation and collaborative actions aimed at bringing the scourge of international terrorism to a speedy end for the benefit of all nations.” his media aide Garba Shehu said in statement on Saturday.

Shehu noted that the President was shocked by the attacks and commiserated with the government and the people of France.

Shehu said “President Buhari has received with great shock & profound sadness, news of the dastardly terrorist attacks on innocent civilians in Paris. On behalf of the government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Buhari conveys his heartfelt sympathy to President Francois Hollande and the people France.”

France was in a nationwide state of emergency Saturday after a night of horror in Paris when gunmen sprayed restaurants with bullets, massacred scores of concert-goers and launched suicide attacks near the national stadium, killing at least 128 people, according an AFP report.

At least eight militants, all wearing suicide vests, brought unprecedented violence to the streets of the French capital, in the bloodiest attacks in Europe since the Madrid train bombings in 2004.

Armed with AK47s and shouting “Allahu akbar”, four of the group marched into a rock concert at the Bataclan venue in eastern Paris, murdering at least 82 people and taking dozens hostage.