Mr. Jonathan spoke after he visited the scene of the explosion and a hospital where survivors are being treated.
“The perpetrators of this, those who are directly involved and those who sponsor them will surely be brought to book,” he said of the blast that occurred at EMAB plaza and killed at least 21 people and injured several others.
The president also asked Nigerians to be prepared for some inconvenience that may be caused by improved security operations.
“I will use this opportunity to continue to plead with our citizens that under such situation, security operatives will come up with different options that sometimes will create some inconvenience for us,” he said. “Instead of condemning them, let us bear. We all bear some pains, from the highest to the least; because as a President, I may not go to everywhere I would have loved to go, these are some of the challenges I have to face.”
“Even for our citizens, under such condition, we have reached some level of restrictions and some pains. Instead of shouting and insulting security operatives, let’s give them maximum cooperation, give them relevant information. All countries that face terror suffer the same thing; citizens give maximum cooperation to the security operatives and help to contain and control, surely we will get over this,” he added.
Mr. Jonathan, who returned to the country, Thursday, after cutting short his trip to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea for the 23rd Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Summit of Heads of State and Government, was accompanied by the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, and other top government officials.
The president, who addressed journalists after visiting the Maitama General Hospital, said it is “quite regrettable and extremely painful that when some Nigerians are struggling, thinking about how to contribute to nation development, working very hard to take care of their families, train their children, others are busy planning to kill people, intimidate people, destroy peoples’ property.”
He described the period of the attack and others by the Boko Haram insurgent group as “one of the darkest phases in the history of our nation.”
The group has killed over 12,000 people in Northern Nigeria since its insurgency began in 2009. The activities of the group led to the declaration of an existing state of emergency in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states; which has not stopped them from carrying out attacks.
“But surely we will get over it,” Mr. Jonathan said. “Some other countries have passed through such cloud before and they were able to overcome it and they were able to sail through. We share the pains of the people who have been directly affected, the pains of their families, but we will surely pass through this ugly phase of our history.”
The Nigerian leader said he was already on his way out of the country when the explosion occurred.
“We are all mourning. I remember that very day we had a football match to play and all Nigerians were celebrating the Eagles hoping they were going to win,” he said. “Then, this act came up. I was airborne then, it was when I got down in Malabo that I got the information; surely we will get through this.”
A victim of the blast, whose name could not be ascertained, seized the opportunity of the President’s visit to his bedside to demand for assistance.
The victim, who was injured on his left leg, pleaded with the President to assist him start a befitting business.
“Na recharge can I dey sell for Banex Plaza. Your Excellency, I don’t have a job. See what I go through. Since yesterday I can’t sleep,” the victim said. “I finish school since no Job, I can’t go and steal na recharge card I dey sell Sir. If you people can help me to start better business to start my life again.”
In response, Mr. Jonathan said, “We are happy you are alive. Thank God you are alive. Don’t talk about business now”. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Nah today....abeg go Sidon.
ReplyDeleteNo....na seventh books of moses
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 6:16......U are very stupid,why not tell your Muslim brothers and their sponsors to stop this barbaric act that will not benefit them anything BUT only for different region of this country to go their SEPARATE ways............If you guys like,kill everybody in the North,Mr President will rule this country till 2019 and then pass it over to an Igbo Man or Middle Belt Man because they are still parts of Nigeria...Idiots
ReplyDeleteU re indeed a proper ‘FOOLISH‘ person. Anywaysha, time shall tell.
DeleteHahaha,u re indeed a proper “FOOLISH“ person. Wit dis a “weak,incompetent,inexperience,unproductive,unreasonable nd a corrupt“ goverment,in a year or two years to come even d aso rock wil no longer be a safer place for ur “MUMU“ bros to be, due to insecurity in d country nt to talk of 2019 or handing over to another “REBEL“ igbo man. Rubbish people... Tarauni!
DeleteTarauni ! You boko haramites cannot win war in Nigeria now because you do not have both Foreign and local support, if you want the Government to give you amnesty or power, you cannot be killing innocent people for it, that is why we are saying that you guys over there are hardly civilized, you are causing insecurity to yourselves, paralyzing your economy, there no sensible investor who will like to invest in North, who are they cause?? you guys!!
DeleteEven if he wins again in 2015 you will also kill yourselves in North, south will always remain calm because we are civilized, no reasonable southerner can bomb his people. If you people also bring the bombing to south, we don't know what will happen next because southern people cannot tolerate it in their land. I see that any day there is bomb explosion in any southern state and boko haram claims it will be the beginning of the 2015 prediction.
Nothing will happen. The most is that there may be some arrests but total silence after that. The mixture of incompetence and epic corruption will not allow any progress.
ReplyDeleteStory full ground,what can the “TOOTHLESS DOG“ do rather than to bark?
ReplyDeleteBring them to book. Like he did yesterday! I begi.
ReplyDelete