BOKO HARAM IS ALIEN, MUST BE CRUSHED, SAYS JONATHAN

THE recurrent attacks by Boko Haram in the northern parts of the country belie their real intention which is to take over Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and force the nation’s leaders into hiding.

President Goodluck Jonathan who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja compared the Boko Haram insurgency with what is happening in Syria and Central African Republic, where the rebels are about taking over the capital cities.

The President, who was at a church service in Ekklisiya Yan Uwa A Nigeria (EYN) yesterday in Abuja, frankly acknowledged the existence of some threats to the corporate existence of the country.

Of particular concern to the President were the activities of Boko Haram in the northern parts of the country, the unending kidnappings in the South-East and South-South as well as armed robberies in the South-West, declaring as a matter of fact that, no part of the country was secure.

Jonathan said: “Looking at what is happening in Syria, and the Central African Republic, where rebels are almost taking over their capital cities, is akin to what Boko Haram is trying to do in Nigeria, to take over Abuja so as to make me and those in government to go and hide.”

But he assured that the Boko Haram menace would be reduced to its barest minimum in 2013.

“Let me assure you that government is working hard, and we will continue to work very hard. We are suppressing the insurgency. For instance, before Christmas, we were told that the whole of Abuja will be burnt down, including Maiduguri, among others. Though we had some incidents in some parts, but they were minimised,” he said.

He continued: “We will continue to work hard and with your prayers and our commitment, Boko Haram will not overthrow us. I want to assure you that 2013 that we are entering into will be a better year for Nigeria. I assure you that excesses of Boko Haram will be brought to a reasonable control in 2013.”

Lamenting that churches have been the worst hit, the President noted that the recent attacks on the churches were signs of the end times.

He said: “In the Holy Bible, we read how the early apostles were persecuted and put inside hot oil. I ask myself, are we going back to those days when the church was tormented and maltreated? But we hope it will not come to that.”

He noted, however, that attacks by the group do not reflect the preaching by any of the religious groups in the country, whether Islam or Christian, insisting that the teaching was foreign and that it must be removed from the country.

According to the President, no nation of the world has been able to develop without its citizens having sound education.

He noted that attempts by Boko Haram to stop the government from providing campaign promises to Nigerians would not succeed.

He urged Christians not to relent in their prayers for the country so that evil would not prevail over it.

Jonathan said that his visit was to interact with the church, and to also commend them for praying relentlessly for the peace of the nation, noting that he knew that his visit had put some of them under threat.

Source: Guardian