There has been worldwide condemnation of the deadliest ever attacks by the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday January 22 visited the northern city of Kano to commiserate with the state government and victims of last week’s bomb attacks by the Boko Haram Islamic sect that left close to 200 people dead. President Jonathan announced that some arrests had been made over the incident, vowing that supporters of the sect were being pursued, The Guardian reported.

The President, who visited the injured in hospitals, urged the country’s leaders and citizens to be more vigilant, noting that members of Boko Haram were not spirits, but identifiable criminals who should be fished out and prosecuted, The Guardian quoted him as saying. He later inspected the Police Headquarters in Kano, which was also attacked by the militants. Receiving him in his palace, the Emir or traditional ruler of Kano, Alhadji Ado Bayero who could not hold back his tears, assured the Head of State that they were together with the government in combating this “evil that is threatening the welfare and security of all of us.” He promised to continue to pray for the government and country for the spate of violence to end, The Guardian said.

Speaking in Minna, the Niger State capital, the Governor, Muazu Babangida Aliyu, warned that the country could disintegrate if the government continued to treat acts of treason and terrorism with "kid gloves." THISDAY reported that he also urged Nigerians to stop politicising treason and terrorism as the future of the country was at stake. The British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said the nature of the attacks had sickened people around the world. He called for collective action on terrorism, stressing that the international community needed to stand together in the face of terrorism in all its forms. Other messages from world leaders condemned the terrorist attacks.