August 13th, 2012
The Northern chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has criticized President Goodluck Jonathan’s handling of Boko Haram and has called for the president to resign. In a statement, the association pointed out President Jonathan’s comments on his reluctance to deal with Boko Haram. President Jonathan is reported to have said that he could not crush Boko Haram because “they are our siblings and you cannot set the army to wipe out your family”.
CAN said that it is disappointing for the President to say that he would not crush Boko Haram despite the fact that the group has been killing innocent Nigerians. CAN accused President Jonathan of shielding Boko Haram at the expense of innocent Nigerians, and asked Nigerians to evaluate President Jonathan’s leadership.
The statement from CAN said, “What he is telling us now is that there is nothing he can do about it, but we know that the Federal Government has the capacity to stop the madness being unleashed on Nigerians. However, it is now obvious that the President will rather shield criminals.”
“Every Nigerian can recall how former President Olusegun Obasanjo reacted when the Niger Delta militants attacked soldiers in Udi. Even though the militants were asking for their legitimate right, Obasanjo dealt with them squarely for resorting to criminality in agitating for their right. No country in the world will allow its soldiers, trained to defend the territorial integrity of the nation to be killed by a gang of criminals and get away with it.”
“Nigerians can also recall that in Zaki Biam, Benue state, the same President Obasanjo sent troops to deal ruthlessly with the people there for allegedly killing soldiers.”
Related: NewsRescue– Petition: Investigate Pres. Obasanjo For 1999 Odi Massacre – Nigerians For Justice
“Now on a daily basis, soldiers, police and other security personnel are being killed by Boko Haram and the President has the effrontery to tell us that these murderers are members of the family and he cannot mobilise the army to deal with them.”
“Jonathan has failed us Christians, he has failed Nigerians and he should resign because by this statement, it is very clear that he is not capable of handling the danger pose by the Boko Haram insurgency.”
The president should tell us the offense of hundreds of Christians who have been killed by the Islamic sect, who have clearly come out to say that they will continue to attack government functionaries, security agencies and Christians”.
“So the president is not bothered about the killing of Christians and other Nigerians! Is it because Christians are not members of this family he is talking about? So the security agents who are being killed by the Boko Haram are not members of this family?
Related: NewsRescue- Flashback: How President Yaradua dealt with Boko Haram in 2009 – 700 Killed, leader, Mohammed Yusuf killed
CAN also criticized the government for insisting that Boko Haram should not be branded as a terrorist group, saying “They claimed if Boko Haram is designated as a terrorist group, the country may be placed under sanction which will hurt Nigerians in addition to the fact that it may scare away investors as well as lead to visa restriction and subjection of Nigerians to maltreatment at airports all over the world.
“But are we not hurt already? Are Nigerians not suffering? How many investors are coming to invest? There are so many business premises in Yobe, Maiduguri, Kano, Kaduna and Jos that have closed shop. Nobody is coming up north to set up any business. People are selling off their houses and relocating from the north. Our churches are being closed down on a daily basis. So what investor is the government talking about?”
Link: http://www.ngex.com/news/public/newsinfo.php?nid=9284