The blasts killed no fewer than 20 persons, while several others were seriously wounded.
In a statement signed by the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, the leading opposition party noted that the attacks were as a result of either a dereliction of duty or sabotage against the anti-terrorism fight.
It also regretted that the bombings occurred at a time the nation was already celebrating the success of the security forces in the counter insurgency campaign.
The PDP said it would continue to support each and every policy adopted by the government of President Buhari to end terrorism, especially knowing the importance of secured environment in achieving peaceful co-existence, an imperative for development.
The statement said, “And whereas we are aware that a bomb is an ill-wind that blows no good to anybody in the community, scaring away potential investors, we are therefore duty bound to draw attention to certain grave factors, possibly leading to the unfortunate resurgence, which, if unchecked could worsen the ugly situation.
“Our checks reveal that poor intelligence gathering by the DSS and other relevant intelligence group is largely, if not directly responsible for the resurgence of terrorists, who have earlier been pushed to the precipices in the Sambisa forest in Borno State, to the extent that they have slipped back into other cities, including the nation’s capital.
“From all indications, the DSS under the watch of the current Director- General, Alhaji Lawal Daura, does not seem to be in full grip of the intelligence situation.
“This is apparently traceable to the avoidable distractions occasioned by the flagrant use of the agency for political assignments since the emergence of the new Director-General, in addition to the apparent administrative disharmony within the service, all resulting in the erosion of professionalism, harmony and loyalty among personnel.
“In the last few months, the DSS, instead of concentrating on its primary statutory duties of providing domestic intelligence, security service and criminal investigations for the state, has, under the new Director-General, directed all its energies on political matters, chasing after opposition elements, interfering in election tribunal activities, intimidating and hounding tribunal witnesses, while terrorists resurge, and combatant security forces left with scanty intelligence.
“The situation with the DSS has become so pathetic that it could not even effectively analyze reported suspicious tweets ‘predicting the attacks’ as a cue to forestalling last Friday’s attack in Abuja and other parts of the country.
“Indeed, our nation cannot afford a retrogression from the gains already made in the fight against terrorism due to the failure of a disorganized, improperly coordinated and distracted intelligence agency, that is not able to live up to its billing”.
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