President Goodluck Jonathan said he had so far been silent on efforts being made to rescue the 219 students who were abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, over two months ago because he did not want to compromise investigation.
He also said for Nigeria to defeat the violent Boko Haram sect, the country must first overcome what he called political, religious and ethnic cleavages.
Jonathan made his position known in an opinion he wrote which was published on Friday by the Washington Post.
The article which has since gone viral in the social media was titled, “Goodluck Jonathan: Nothing is more important than bringing home Nigeria’s missing girls.”
Jonathan said he decided to remain silent about the continuing efforts by Nigeria’s military, police and investigators to find the Chibok girls because he did not want to jeopardise investigation.
He however regretted that his silence was being used by those he described as partisan critics to suggest inaction or weakness.
His silence notwithstanding, Jonathan said his government would not spare any resources until the girls were rescued and their abductors brought to justice. He said he had ordered security agents to hunt the terrorists in the forests in Borno State.
The President said as a parent himself, he felt the pain of parents whose daughters are still with the sect members.
He wrote, “My silence has been necessary to avoid compromising the details of our investigation. But let me state this unequivocally: My government and our security and intelligence services have spared no resources, have not stopped and will not stop until the girls are returned home and the thugs who took them are brought to justice.
“On my orders, our forces have aggressively sought these killers in the forests of northern Borno State, where they are based. They are fully committed to defending the integrity of their country.
“My heart aches for the missing children and their families. I am a parent myself, and I know how awfully this must hurt. Nothing is more important to me than finding and rescuing our girls.”
The President said the country was in dire need of a greater understanding and outreach between Muslims and Christians if the terrorism war must be fought and won.
Issues such as economic disparities, corruption, rights abuse and abuse of rule of law, he added, must and would be addressed to end the insurgency.
Jonathan wrote, “In Nigeria, there are political, religious and ethnic cleavages to overcome if we are to defeat Boko Haram. We need greater understanding and outreach between Muslims and Christians.
“We also know that, as it seeks to recruit the gullible, Boko Haram exploits the economic disparities that remain a problem in our country. We are addressing these challenges through such steps as bringing stakeholders together and creating a safe schools initiative, a victims’ support fund and a presidential economic recovery programme for North-Eastern Nigeria.
“We are also committed to ridding our country of corruption and safeguarding human and civil rights and the rule of law.
“Something positive can come out of the situation in Nigeria: most importantly, the return of the Chibok girls, but also new international cooperation to deny havens to terrorists and destroy their organisations wherever they are — whether in the forests of Nigeria, on the streets of New York or sanctuaries in Iraq or Pakistan. Those who value humanity, civilisation and the innocence of children can do no less.”
Jonathan also vowed that his government was determined to stop the Boko Haram sect from overwhelming the country.
“Since 2010, thousands of people have been killed, injured, abducted or forced by Boko Haram, which seeks to overwhelm the country and impose its ideology on all Nigerians. My government is determined to make that impossible. We will not succumb to the will of terrorists.
“The abduction of our children cannot be seen as an isolated event. Terrorism knows no borders. This month, Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Britain and the United States established an External Intelligence Response Unit to share security information on such threats in West Africa.
“I propose that we build on this step to establish an enduring, worldwide commitment to destroying terrorism and those who finance or give safe haven to the terrorists.
“In September, I will urge the U.N. General Assembly to establish a U.N.-coordinated system for sharing intelligence and, if necessary, special forces and law enforcement to confront terrorism wherever it occurs,” he added.
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