Jonathan opens up on Boko Haram, Azazi, others
June 25, 2012 by Niyi Odebode, John Alechenu, Friday Olokor, Ade Adesomoju, Simon Utebor and Maureen Azuh 207 Comments
President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday fielded questions from a team of journalists on the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram; the renaming of the University of Lagos, and Friday’s sacking of his National Security Adviser, Gen. Andrew Azazi.

The President also offered explanations on his controversial trip to Rio De Janeiro in Brazil, the 2015 general election and the economy as well as other hot issues confronting his administration.

While Jonathan submitted that he had no regret embarking on the journey, he said the removal of Azazi and Haliru Bello as defence minister was to evolve a fresh strategy in dealing with Boko Haram.

The President stated that those who argued that he should not have embarked on the trip when Kaduna and Yobe states were being attacked by the violent sect , were ignorant.

He spoke during the Presidential Media Chat broadcast live on the Nigerian Television Authority.

Trip to Brazil

Justifying the trip, he said, “I have no regrets going to Brazil. The issue of security in this country, especially relating to the Boko Haram crisis is pathetic, I have lost people and I have lost property. I sympathise with people who have lost property and relations. I feel the pain.

“As President of this country, even if one person dies, I feel sad. But one thing is that if you know the tactics of terrorists, Nigerians who were worried that I travelled got worried out of ignorance.

“One of the tactics of terrorists is to strangle government. If they heard that the President and the Vice-President wanted to travel but couldn’t do so because they struck, they would celebrate it.”

According to him, Presidents of other countries had always encouraged him to ensure that the government of Nigeria does not stop because of terrorism.

The President also dismissed insinuations that Azazi and Mohammed were removed for incompetence.

He commended the two for what he described as, the effective discharge of their duties while in office.

He, however, said the change in tactics by the terrorist group required a change in the security strategy to deal with the growing security challenge.

Jonathan said, “Security is a global challenge now, not just in Nigeria. Just like the economic recession is global, different countries are having their share.

“The issue of Boko Haram which is giving Nigeria the indignity of security challenges which government is dealing with, definitely we will get over it.

“The day the international community gets to know that the President of Nigeria could not travel because of Boko Haram, we are finished.”

Azazi, Bello

“Relating to the changes we made where the Minister of Defence was removed. We have not named anyone yet because that one has to get to the Senate. We cannot announce any name because it is the Senate that has to clear him or her. So we don’t announce until the Senate clears.

“But the NSA, which is a Political Adviser position, some other person has taken over.

“Those two who occupied those two offices have done well. But if you look at the evolution of Boko Haram, they have changed their tactics.

“The interest of terrorists is to destabilise government. If they use one thing it doesn’t work, they want to use another thing.

“So, you too will begin to change your personnel, change your style, (and) change your strategy.

“I also thought it was time some other hands came in to do things slightly differently; it’s not that the people who were there before did not do well.

“They worked very hard. We will continue to adjust our security architecture and where there is the need to change personnel to fit into the new programme, we will surely do that. “

Dialogue with Boko Haram

On dialogue with the sect, Jonathan said there was no ongoing talks with the sect because they had remained in the shadows.

He said, “Security issues are not issues that we are going to discuss in details. The issues of dialogue continue to come up. Some people feel that government should not dialogue with terrorists and criminals. That is the position of some, particularly in the West.

“But to us in this country and to me in particular, the Boko Haram members are Nigerians and I don’t want to lose the life of one Nigerian.

“I will love a situation where the Boko Haram people will stop the rubbish that they are doing so that they can be trained in business skills that will enable them to become productive and contribute to our economy.

“Government will like to dialogue with Boko Haram but presently, Boko Haram has no face. Nobody will come and tell you I am the leader of Boko Haram. “And government will not dialogue with a faceless group. You must have a face; you must tell us the reason why you are doing what you are doing. Then of course, we will dialogue.

“We want them to change; we want them to become decent citizens; to become top businessmen in this country.”

According to him, terrorists all over the world have a common agenda which is to destabilise the government .

The President stated, “They believe that when they attack a church, Christian youths will revolt against Muslim youths, and they don’t care about who dies in the process.................................

http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-opens-up-on-boko-haram-azazi-others/

thumbs up