President Goodluck Jonathan, former Head of State Muhammadu Buhari, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are among eminent Nigerians and institutions who have condemned the Christmas Day church blasts in several states of northern Nigeria.
President Goodluck Jonathan, former Head of State Muhammadu Buhari, and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are among eminent Nigerians and institutions who have condemned the Christmas Day church blasts in several states of northern Nigeria.
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“These acts of violence against innocent citizens are an unwarranted affront on our collective safety and freedom,” the President said in a statement by his spokesman, Reuben Abati, adding, “Nigerians must stand as one to condemn them.”
In his response, General Buhari said, "Bombing other human beings to death at any time is callous. It becomes much more reprehensible on a Christmas day and all lovers of peace must condemn these gruesome acts and demand that the perpetrators be fished out and brought to book."
The bombings took place at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State; Jos, Plateau State; and Damaturu, Yobe State.
In a statement, the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, on behalf of the National Working Committee (NWC), condemned what he called “this recourse to extremist ideologies in a multi-religious and multi-cultural society such as ours and urge our people to take the path of dialogue rather than violence.”
Regretting that the unfortunate incidents had spoiled the celebratory mood across the land, President Jonathan assured Nigerians that his government remained resolute in resolving the security challenges that confront the nation.
“I want to reassure all Nigerians that Government will not relent in its determination to bring to justice all the perpetrators of today’s acts of violence and all others before now,” he said.
In his comments, General Buhari expressed worry about the “seeming mute indifference” of the Nigerian authorities to today’s events.
"How on earth would the Vatican and the British authorities speak before the Nigerian government on attacks within Nigeria that have led to the deaths of our citizens?” he asked. “This is clearly a failure of leadership at a time the government needs to assure the people of the capacity to guarantee the safety of lives and property."
He called on the Nigerian government to rise up to the challenge of security in our country and not to believe that it's just about voting almost a quarter of the budget to security.
"You can devote the entire budget to security and there won't be any result if there is no competence in leadership to know what to do at the right time," he said.
Just yesterday, SaharaReporters broke the story of police awareness of preparations Fulanis in Kaduna State and the militant Islamic group Boko Haram, to carry out attacks in November to December. The United States had also previously alerted the Nigerian government of plans by Boko Haram to attack selected locations, but the government dismissed the alert.
In a recent statement, a former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, made the disquieting statement that the Nigeria Police is no match for Boko Haram.
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