By Abdullahi M. Gulloma
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday expressed gratitude to God for saving the lives of former Head of State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (ACP), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and famous Islamic scholar, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, saying that the country would have been in turmoil if the terrorists had succeeded in killing them.
General Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi were said to be the targets of twin blast in Kaduna on Wednesday that killed a couple of people.
Speaking at the State House when he received residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who paid him Sallah homage, Nigeria would soon pass through these trying times and come out strong as a nation.
He said: “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 Sheikh 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.
“Sheikh Bauchi is one of our top Islamic preachers; he has millions of followers, while Buhari is a former Head of State, a leading political figure who has massive support. 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.”
The president appealed to religious leaders to emphasise religious tolerance and peaceful co-existence in their preaching, saying that the country would not develop without peace and unity.
“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. 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.”
He further urged Nigerians to remain gallant in the face of terror and remain strong and resolute in the defence of national unity.
“I use this opportunity to call on all Nigerians to work with government 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 on how to raise funds in fact we are launching the victims’ support fund on 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 will be rebuilt. Government alone cannot do it because we will need huge sums of money.”
Jonathan also congratulated the Muslim faithful for successfully completing their Ramadan fast, and prayed that its spiritual lessons and the Holy Prophet’s “teachings of piety, love, justice, fairness, equity, peaceful co-existence with others, tolerance, honesty and dedication to duty would remain with all Nigerians for the benefit and greater glory of the nation.”
