Senator representing Kaduna Central, Comrade Shehu Sani, has called on Kaduna State Governor Nasiru El-Rufai to suspend with immediate effect, the ongoing Workers Biometric Verification Exercise.

Mr Sani made the call yesterday in an interview with journalists during assessment visit on behalf of the Senate President Bukola Saraki to victims of Sabon Gari Local Government Secretariat bomb blast at the Accident Emergency ward, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Shika, Zaria.

The CMD of ABUTH, Professor Lawal Khalil, had earlier in an interview with journalists, said so far 26 were killed, 30 in stable condition, one critically injure.

Mr. Sani said: “With what has happened today, I will strongly call on the governor of the state to suspend with immediate effect the verification exercise.”

He explained however that, even though there is no connection with the verification and the bombing “but the very fact is that, a tragedy has happened now, we have no option than to call on him to suspend the verification exercise pending when security is available that will be able to protect lives and property of our citizen.”

“There is no reason for us to gather such people and make them targets and sitting docks for suicide bombers. It’s of no use at all,” he added.

The Senator described the bombing as sad and unfortunate, adding: “What I have seen here is nothing but the handiwork of evils and devils.

“I am also here to highlight this very problem to our country as a Senator, I am also here to represent the Senate President who has asked me to represent him and to also express his sympathy to the families of those who lost their loved ones.

“It is shameful that in the 21th century of Nigeria, one person can decide to blow himself and inflict despicable damages on himself and other human beings.”

Sani said Nigeria will never bow down to this kind of evil handiwork. According to him, “As a nation, we will overcome this and as a. Senator, we are assuring all Nigerians that this government will do all it can within its ability to protect all Nigerians.

“What do we gain by killing poor and innocent people? What do these people gain by inflicting such kind of damage to innocent people in our society? Most of these people that were killed are simply civil servants, they are poor people who are part of the oppressed in the society.

“People have suffered so much in the hands of suicide bombers and I can say this clearly, that it is time for Northern political leaders, religious leaders, traditional leaders and politicians to come together and find solutions to these problems.

“We have reached a situation whereby nowhere is safe. We are not safe in the market, we are not safe in the church, we are not safe in the mosque, we are not safe in the motor park, you are not safe in your home and you are not safe outside your home. For how long can this continue?

“It is high time that the new government review security policies of this country. Security personnel that are unable to address this problems need to be shown the way out. There is the need for a concerted effort by all Nigerians to give all the support the government needs.

“What we use to here happen in places like Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and places as far as Yemen is now within our own very domain.

“It is time for Nigerians, particularly, Northern political, traditional and religious leaders to come together and have a convergence of forces that will end this violence once and for all.

“I am here to condole the families of those who are affected in this tragedy. I am also here to stand in solidarity with all those who refuse to bow down to terror.

“Let me sound it very clear, that our resilient nation, our republic, our spirit will never break and will never bow down from the handiwork of men of evil.

“This is the time for national unity and national solidarity. This is the time for all of us to put our hands together and stand shoulder to shoulder and set aside our political differences, our social differences, our economic differences, our religious differences and stand in the defense of the unity of our country and in defense of our secularism and constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We will not in any way surrender the sovereignty, the independence and the unity of our country no matter the level of violence that will be perpetrated by anybody.”

•Photo shows Shehu Sani.