STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE



PRESIDENT JONATHAN WRITES BRITISH, ITALIAN PRIME MINISTERS ON KILLING OF THEIR CITIZENS IN NIGERIA



Further to his statement last Thursday condemning the unfortunate killing of Chris McManus, a British citizen and Franco Lamorina, an Italian, by their Boko Haram captors in Sokoto State, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, yesterday, formally commiserated with the families, people and governments of both Europeans.



In two separate letters of condolence to David Cameron and Mario Monti, the Prime Ministers of Britain and Italy respectively which were delivered through diplomatic channels, President Jonathan said that the hearts of the people and government of Nigeria go out to the members of the immediate families of the victims in their moment of grief, while praying that “Almighty God imbues them with the fortitude to cope with this painful tragedy.”



President Jonathan also assured the leaders of both countries that “the Nigerian Government remains resolutely committed to facing up squarely to the challenge of terrorism on our shores and in the international community.”



While describing as “invaluable” the cooperation the Nigerian Government had enjoyed from both Prime Ministers in the fight against terrorism in the country, the President expressed the belief that as “we join forces with the rest of the world in frontally confronting the menace of terrorism in all ramifications,” the special relations and strong ties that exist among the three nations “can only grow deeper and stronger.”





REUBEN ABATI

Special Adviser to the President

( Media & Publicity)

March 10, 2012

queensmith:

I hope everybody that loses a relative to these terrorists gets a special letter from the president. I hope so, it will be sad indeed if it took the death of 2 europeans at the hands of these militants for the Nigerian Government to decide to clean up. It will be very sad indeed.

koruji:

Exactly. There is no doubt that this was a good move.

The issue is why Nigerian leaders consistently treat their citizens worse than foreigners.

This is the same president that presided over the killings of 19 peaceful protesters over fuel subsidy without a peep heard about writing condolence letters or punishing trigger-happy policemen.

queensmith:

I hope everybody that loses a relative to these terrorists gets a special letter from the president. I hope so, it will be sad indeed if it took the death of 2 europeans at the hands of these militants for the Nigerian Government to decide to clean up. It will be very sad indeed.

heynew:

Instead of reacting to the unlawful invasion of our territory,cartons of gala are being sent to Rome and London

heynew:

Instead of reacting to the unlawful invasion of our territory,cartons of gala are being sent to Rome and London

onyewec3:

What a silly comment! If I may ask, are u a learned person? Or u just use ur computer and type rubbush on forums, what made the invasion unlawful? Aren't u aware that both the Nigerian security operatives and that of the  british were both involved. How is it unlawful? I have seen that 75% of pple who criticize GEJ are not in anyway beta than him and u jst showed ur are one of the 75%, rubbish