Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, has advised religious and ethnic fanatics to avoid instigating people on issues that could lead to war over population census scheduled for 2016.
Babangida stated this yesterday when he received in courtesy visit the Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission in Niger state, Alhaji Aliyu Datti.
He enjoined Nigerians not to resort to ethnic and religious sentiments in issues relating to population census adding that census was aimed at getting the number of people for the purpose of national planning.
He regretted that over the years population census had been subjected to controversy “because the Christians wanted to say they are more and the Muslims wanted to say they are more.”
He emphasised the need to remove ethnicity and religion as “controversial issues in census and make it just a routine exercise that no one would be harassed for.”
He said: “Census should just be viewed as routine exercise to determine the population of Nigeria and not an exercise for those who are fanatical about religion or tribe; it should be made routine not something to go to war about.”
Babangida also put his weight behind the declaration by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, not to use military force in rescuing the Chibok girls, adding that “what he said is the right thing; it is only natural that the military does not give away information about their operations, it is part of their training.”
On the call by the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, that the Northern leaders should join them to end insurgence in three months, Babangida said: “We will continue to provide such advice or assistance whatever the case may be because we don’t have any other country, this is our country we cannot betray it.”
He said those who were entertaining fear over the assistance of foreign countries belonged to the old school of thought, arguing that Nigeria had over the years rendered same assistance to other countries.
Earlier, the Federal Commissioner said they were with the former military president to, as usual, seek his counsel and benefit from his wisdom.