President Goodluck Jonathan has
reiterated his determination to
bring back the more than 200
Chibok school girls saying that
his silence in the past was to
avoid compromising
investigations on the abductions.
In a 514 word opinion piece
article published in Friday’a
edition of the Washington Post,
President Jonathan regretted
that his silence on the issue has
been misconstrued by critics as a
sign of weakness as he confesed
that being a father, he is touched
by the feelings of the parents of
the abducted girls.
Pesident Jonathan
In the article titled “Nothing is
more important than bringing
home Nigeria’s missing girls” the
president said that the terrorism
in Nigeria is not unique and that
it was in that respect that Nigeria
this month, alongside, Benin,
Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Britain
and the United States established
an External Intelligence Response
Unit to share security
information on such threats in
West Africa.
He added that he would in
September propose to the United
Nations to establish an
international force to tackle the
activities of such terrorists
anywhere they are found.
Saying he was not weak on the
issue as portrayed, Jonathan
said:
“I have had to remain quiet
about the continuing efforts by
Nigeria’s military, police and
investigators to find the girls
kidnapped in April from the
town of Chibok by the terrorist
group Boko Haram. I am deeply
concerned, however, that my
silence as we work to accomplish
the task at hand is being
misused by partisan critics to
suggest inaction or even
weakness.”
“My silence has been necessary
to avoid compromising the
details of our investigation. But
let me state this unequivocally:
My government and our security
and intelligence services have
spared no resources, have not
stopped and will not stop until
the girls are returned home and
the thugs who took them are
brought to justice. On my orders,
our forces have aggressively
sought these killers in the forests
of northern Borno state, where
they are based. They are fully
committed to defending the
integrity of their country.”
“My heart aches for the missing
children and their families. I am a
parent myself, and I know how
awfully this must hurt. Nothing is
more important to me than
finding and rescuing our girls.”
“In September, I will urge the
U.N. General Assembly to
establish a U.N.-coordinated
system for sharing intelligence
and, if necessary, special forces
and law enforcement to confront
terrorism wherever it occurs.”
Noting religious, political and
ethnic cleavages that must be
curtailed for Nigeria to fight off
terrorism, he said:
“In Nigeria, there are political,
religious and ethnic cleavages to
overcome if we are to defeat
Boko Haram. We need greater
understanding and outreach
between Muslims and Christians.
We also know that, as it seeks to
recruit the gullible, Boko Haram
exploits the economic disparities
that remain a problem in our
country.”
“Something positive can come
out of the situation in Nigeria:
most important, the return of the
Chibok girls, but also new
international cooperation to
deny havens to terrorists and
destroy their organizations
wherever they are — whether in
the forests of Nigeria, on the
streets of New York or
sanctuaries in Iraq or Pakistan.
Those who value humanity ,
civilization and the innocence of
children can do no less.”
www.vanguardngr.com

He can still do something now...... Abi?

The president is working Nigeria is working.