In a race against time
With #BringBackOurGirls we have come to a
turning point in our contest against terrorism
in Nigeria. It is a critical moment for us; the
war will not be won without us winning this
battle. In short if one is not part of the
solution, they become part of the problem.
And at a moment like this we can no longer
afford anything but a united commitment to
stamping out a great evil that threatens the
very existence of the only place we call home.
On social media I have been amazed by the
outpouring of solidarity from within and
outside Nigeria. While on the one hand it is
sad to see Nigeria in the news for its inability
to protect its most vulnerable citizens, it is
also clear that in the age of social media no
concerns or problems are local.
It is in light of this that I welcome the offer of
military support from the United States,
United Kingdom, France and others, and the
acceptance by the Nigerian government.
While I believe that we waited too long to get
to this point of admitting our need for
external help, I will also insist that it’s better
late than never.
While I have had and continue to have major
policy differences with the government on
Abuja and its leadership, as a nation we must
remain united.
We must make it clear that under no
circumstances should any person, group of
persons, or organization ever be permitted to
prey on the children of Nigeria, or any other
country.
We must make it easy for everyone who has
information about this crime against
humanity to contact the authorities at once.
We must make it easy for the innocent
population of the affected areas to see the
Nigerian military and authorities as friends,
not enemies.
We must make it easy for our soldiers to be
loyal and committed to this great and difficult
task ahead of them.
We must make it easy for the world to see
Nigeria as a country that cares for all its
citizens, regardless of their
age, gender, religion, ethnic group or
economic class.
We must remember the people most affected,
trapped on the frontlines of the battle. They
need support, relief and rehabilitation.
We must remember they will need help
when the are returned home to their families
and their loved ones.
And we must make it difficult for anyone to
play politics with this crisis. Nothing,
absolutely nothing, is worth the bloodshed
and the destruction we have come to associate
with this campaign of terror. Not party
affiliations, not the 2015 elections.
We are in a race against time. For every day
we delay our response, or allow ourselves to
be caught up in needless bickering, we hand
victory over to the forces of darkness and
despair, like Boko Haram.



http://atiku.org/2015/we-must-make-it-easy/