Nigeria, June 16 -- The Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI), under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, said it is deeply pained by the spate of gruesome killings and bloodletting in parts of Benue State, where scores of innocent and defenseless citizens have been massacred.

While it appreciates the efforts of security agencies to curtail violence and conflicts, the Islamic group expressed displeasure at their often reactive posture.

"It has become a recurring pattern for security operatives to arrive only after the damage has been done," JNI said in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Khalid Aliyu.

"Such act emboldens the perpetrators and dampens the morale of innocent citizens. Security must be intelligence-driven,...