KADUNA ATTACK: GOD SAVED NIGERIA FROM TURMOIL – SAYS JONATHAN

KADUNA ATTACK: GOD SAVED NIGERIA FROM TURMOIL – SAYS JONATHAN

" APC seeks international probe over attack on Buhari
President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, thanked God for sparing the lives of the former head of state, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, (rtd) a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Islamic Cleric, Shiek Dahiru Bauchi, observing that Nigeria would have been thrown into turmoil if the terrorists had succeeded.

Jonathan, who dubbed Boko Haram members who planned the attack as sons of the devil, noted that had they succeeded in killing the two leaders, the Eid-el-Fitri celebrations would not have been marked.

Buhari and Shiek Bauchi last Wednesday escaped assassination attempt by the Boko Haram who planted and detonated two bombs in Kaduna State.

Jonathan spoke while receiving Muslim leaders in the Federal Capital Territory, led by Vice President Namadi Sambo on Sallah homage to the President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President Jonathan further gave indications that funds for assisting the victims of terrorists and rebuilding the destructions wrecked by their attacks would be launched Thursday.

According to President Jonathan: “Not too long ago, we had these dastardly attacks in Kano and Kaduna. We stand to condemn these acts of terror on our people. And we extend our condolence and sympathy to the bereaved and those who might have been injured.

“The recent attacks in Kaduna especially where Shiek Dahiru Bauchi was a target and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was also a target. You can imagine if these two people had died in those attacks.

“Sheik Bauchi is one of our top Islamic preachers. He has millions of followers.

Buhari, a former head of state, a leading political figure has massive supporters.

On the same day, people wanted to kill them.

“Those who planned the attacks are clearly sons of the devil because if they had killed these two people, we wouldn’t have been here today. This country would have been in turmoil.

We couldn’t have gathered here to celebrate.
“We thank Allah for saving their lives and preventing a major calamity that would have befallen our country.”

President Jonathan appealed to clerics to preach peace in their messages just as he solicited the cooperation of all Nigerians in fighting terrorism in the country, adding that government is making necessary efforts to alleviate the problems of the security challenges.

He said: “Let me plead with my brothers, especially the clerics when they are sending their messages out to their followers to preach peace and unity, not the gospel of hate, because without peace and unity we cannot develop this country.

“In a conflict situation, people move away from such zones and we cannot develop our communities, our local governments, states and our country in a conflict situation.

“I use this opportunity to call on all Nigerians to work with govt to see that collectively we bring to an end the excesses of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups. We are doing everything humanly possible to end it.

“Government at the same time is looking at how to raise funds.

In fact, we are launching the fund Thursday, so that the widows, orphans, those whose business premises have been vandalised and even our worship places, mosques and churches that have been destroyed. We will rebuild.

“Government alone cannot do it because we will need huge sums of money. The Nigerian private sector is vibrant and willing if they see sincerity in government. We have demonstrated that very clearly and we are hopeful that that day reasonable amount of money will be raised.

“And we will continue to raise money until we are able to cushion the effect of these excesses and at the same time we are strengthening our security services so that they will be able to confront this menace.”

Earlier, Vice President Sambo had thanked President Jonathan, saying: “Thank you for accepting to have audience with us as we celebrate the end of the Ramadan fast.

He commended the President for fasting alongside the Muslims during the Ramadan fast and prayed for God to answer all their supplications.

He prayed God to continue to give the president wisdom and guidance to rule, for peace and prayed for end of all the evils the country including Boko Haram.

He prayed for Nigerians to be their brother’s keepers and for tranquillity to prevail in the country, total reconciliation and stability.

On his part, the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Bala Mohammed who paid homage on behalf of Abuja residents, said: “We have always enjoyed humane and civil disposition that is why you see Muslims and Christians coming to pay homage in line with your exemplary leadership.

He prayed for courage and wisdom for Jonathan to continue to steer the ship of leadership despite the current security challenges.

Meanwhile, the APC has called for an international inquiry into last Wednesday’s assassination attempt on its leader, General Buhari, so as to unravel the motive and the perpetrators of the dastardly act that could have plunged the country into a deep turmoil, had it succeeded.

The party in a statement issued in Benin yesterday by its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, said it does not have the confidence that the Nigerian security agencies can carry out an impartial investigation, because they work for the government instead of the nation.

According to the statement, the call has become more urgent because the agents of the Federal Government have started muddling the waters with their sickening statements and actions on the attack.

‘’How does one explain a situation in which a man who is nothing but a pervert is now being paraded as the suspected ‘mastermind’ of the attack on Gen. Buhari?

At what point was this man, who perhaps is nothing but a transvestite plying his trade, arrested? Is it not clear from the statement released by Gen. Buhari himself after the attack that it was clearly the handiwork of a suicide bomber?

‘’Could the person who drove the vehicle that was rammed into the General’s convoy have survived the explosion that was triggered by that action? Could the innocent passer-by who died in the blast not have been arrested and paraded as the ‘suspected masterminds’ if they had survived the blast? Clearly, the arrest of the pervert and his sickening description as a ‘suspected mastermind’ have kick-started the process of muddling the waters, as is usually the case with such high-profile cases.”

The party insisted an urgent international inquiry into the attack was desirable and imperative, and anyone who is committed to an impartial probe of the attack on the opposition leader should embrace the call, APC said, adding that the insurgency and its spin-offs are now clearly beyond the capability of this Federal Government.

The party said the call has been further justified by the statements and insinuations emanating from the ruling PDP and the Presidency, both of which now seem to be pointing fingers at the same party (APC) that is clearly the target of the failed assassination attempt on one of its top leaders.