Boko Haram: Jonathan weeps at Madalla bomb site
Moved by the level of destruction and gory details of how innocent lives were lost at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church during the Christmas Day bomb blast, President Jonathan openly wept yesterday when he visited Madalla, a suburb that shares common borders with the Federal Capital Territory.
Jonathan, who had gone to commiserate with the victims and relatives of the blast, was touched by the wailing of families of the bereaved.
He was conducted round the premises by Rev. Father, Isaac Achi, the priest in charge of the church.
Relatives of those affected by the blast had to be held back as they rolled on the bare floor, lamenting their loss.
On sighting the wailing crowd, President Jonathan betrayed his emotions and he was promptly dragged away by his aides.
Speaking later, the President promised to carry out some drastic measures to turn Suleja town, known for its notoriety, upside down beginning from last night.
He said: “When the terrorists struck in Niger State, it was in Suleja. Luckily the local government chairman is here, we are going to turn this place upside down, if there are institutions here that are harbouring criminality, we are going to deal with it decisively, because Niger State is a very big state and every terrorist attack is in Suleja.
“My belief is that there are institutions or individuals in Suleja that are harbouring terrorists and we would deal with it decisively. In any part of this country where an individual or a group of people, either traditional or religious institutions are associated with terrorists will be dealt with decisively. There will be no sacred cows.”
Jonathan, while expressing condolences to all Nigerians and the Catholic family stated that: “This did not affect just the Catholic Church, but it affected all Nigerians irrespective of religious divide because terrorism attack anywhere is terrorism attack on the whole nation. These are evil men being propelled by evil thoughts and evil desires to create confusion in decent societies.
“I sympathise with the Church, the government and people of Niger State for this act, but I assure Nigerians that I would do everything to protect lives and properties. Since this incident happened we have been meeting. In fact, one of the reasons why I did not come early was because I did not want to disrupt things at the site, I wanted things to be done properly, that is investigation, because I knew by the time I will come in there will be crowd and a number of things will be tempered with. Even yesterday and the day before yesterday we met and we would continue to meet.
“This night I am going to speak to Nigerians about some few steps we are going to take which I believe the public should know, so that they will not be embarrassed when they get to some of the situations so that I will address them tonight on television. There are a number of things that we are doing and will continue to do.
“Boko Haram started as a harmless group in Borno State at a time they were used by politicians to fester their political interest, now they have grown cancerous and Nigeria being the body, they want kill the body and nobody will allow it. Some people re exploiting it to their own advantage, but terrorist attack on any part of the nation is an attack on all of us and all Nigerians will collectively fight this terror. We will crush them. We’ve seen what happened in other countries. Terrorist attacks is not what you will use magic wand to wave it off, but collectively we will bring under control and finally we will crush it.
“We will begin from tonight to take different measures, different approach in fighting Boko Haram and we must weed them out from society.
“I sympathize with those who have lost lives, properties and especially those who have lost people dear to them. When you lose life you cannot get it back, how I wish it is something that we can reconstruct but God has not made it so.
“As the President and Commander in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria I will take actions that this will come to an end very soon”.
Also speaking at the venue, the Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, told reporters that compensation for the victims will commence on Tuesday after the holidays.
The governor said the committee set up has concluded its work of assessment and so compensation both for those who lost loved ones and properties should commence on Tuesday.
Aliyu, who said that he had no problem with the church leadership saying it has forgiven the attackers, said the government would go after members of the Boko Haram sect and bring them to justice.
“I am happy Mr. President is here and terrorism is not anything to sympathise with. The Church can forgive terrorists, but we in government cannot forgive them until we get them and they are punished properly and that is what the President has promised us today”.
On the notoriety of Suleja, Aliyu said, “you have forgotten that Suleja started FCT, the whole headquarters was in Suleja. So the cosmopolitan nature of the place now has become so special that we have been asking the Federal Government to consider all the contiguous states of the FCT including the towns from Suleja, Mararaba, because the security of the FCT is contingent of what happens in the neighbourhood.
“So am happy that what we have been asking for has now been recognised. Because there is a special need of this place both in terms of security and the welfare of the people. I believe we should pay attention”.
Speaking on compensation of victims, the Governor said, “What we are doing is to access what has happened, we will make donations both for those who have suffered losses and properties. The committee has concluded its work and by Tuesday we will come and start compensating”.
Moved by the level of destruction and gory details of how innocent lives were lost at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church during the Christmas Day bomb blast, President Jonathan openly wept yesterday when he visited Madalla, a suburb that shares common borders with the Federal Capital Territory.
Jonathan, who had gone to commiserate with the victims and relatives of the blast, was touched by the wailing of families of the bereaved.
He was conducted round the premises by Rev. Father, Isaac Achi, the priest in charge of the church.
Relatives of those affected by the blast had to be held back as they rolled on the bare floor, lamenting their loss.
On sighting the wailing crowd, President Jonathan betrayed his emotions and he was promptly dragged away by his aides.
Speaking later, the President promised to carry out some drastic measures to turn Suleja town, known for its notoriety, upside down beginning from last night.
He said: “When the terrorists struck in Niger State, it was in Suleja. Luckily the local government chairman is here, we are going to turn this place upside down, if there are institutions here that are harbouring criminality, we are going to deal with it decisively, because Niger State is a very big state and every terrorist attack is in Suleja.
“My belief is that there are institutions or individuals in Suleja that are harbouring terrorists and we would deal with it decisively. In any part of this country where an individual or a group of people, either traditional or religious institutions are associated with terrorists will be dealt with decisively. There will be no sacred cows.”
Jonathan, while expressing condolences to all Nigerians and the Catholic family stated that: “This did not affect just the Catholic Church, but it affected all Nigerians irrespective of religious divide because terrorism attack anywhere is terrorism attack on the whole nation. These are evil men being propelled by evil thoughts and evil desires to create confusion in decent societies.
“I sympathise with the Church, the government and people of Niger State for this act, but I assure Nigerians that I would do everything to protect lives and properties. Since this incident happened we have been meeting. In fact, one of the reasons why I did not come early was because I did not want to disrupt things at the site, I wanted things to be done properly, that is investigation, because I knew by the time I will come in there will be crowd and a number of things will be tempered with. Even yesterday and the day before yesterday we met and we would continue to meet.
“This night I am going to speak to Nigerians about some few steps we are going to take which I believe the public should know, so that they will not be embarrassed when they get to some of the situations so that I will address them tonight on television. There are a number of things that we are doing and will continue to do.
“Boko Haram started as a harmless group in Borno State at a time they were used by politicians to fester their political interest, now they have grown cancerous and Nigeria being the body, they want kill the body and nobody will allow it. Some people re exploiting it to their own advantage, but terrorist attack on any part of the nation is an attack on all of us and all Nigerians will collectively fight this terror. We will crush them. We’ve seen what happened in other countries. Terrorist attacks is not what you will use magic wand to wave it off, but collectively we will bring under control and finally we will crush it.
“We will begin from tonight to take different measures, different approach in fighting Boko Haram and we must weed them out from society.
“I sympathize with those who have lost lives, properties and especially those who have lost people dear to them. When you lose life you cannot get it back, how I wish it is something that we can reconstruct but God has not made it so.
“As the President and Commander in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria I will take actions that this will come to an end very soon”.
Also speaking at the venue, the Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, told reporters that compensation for the victims will commence on Tuesday after the holidays.
The governor said the committee set up has concluded its work of assessment and so compensation both for those who lost loved ones and properties should commence on Tuesday.
Aliyu, who said that he had no problem with the church leadership saying it has forgiven the attackers, said the government would go after members of the Boko Haram sect and bring them to justice.
“I am happy Mr. President is here and terrorism is not anything to sympathise with. The Church can forgive terrorists, but we in government cannot forgive them until we get them and they are punished properly and that is what the President has promised us today”.
On the notoriety of Suleja, Aliyu said, “you have forgotten that Suleja started FCT, the whole headquarters was in Suleja. So the cosmopolitan nature of the place now has become so special that we have been asking the Federal Government to consider all the contiguous states of the FCT including the towns from Suleja, Mararaba, because the security of the FCT is contingent of what happens in the neighbourhood.
“So am happy that what we have been asking for has now been recognised. Because there is a special need of this place both in terms of security and the welfare of the people. I believe we should pay attention”.
Speaking on compensation of victims, the Governor said, “What we are doing is to access what has happened, we will make donations both for those who have suffered losses and properties. The committee has concluded its work and by Tuesday we will come and start compensating”.
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