President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday declared that the activities of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram or any other group cannot frustrate Nigeria.
Speaking at the 53rd Independence Anniversary Interdenominational Church Service in Abuja, he condemned the killing of 21 Agriculture students in Yobe State yesterday.
According to him, the challenges and obstacles Nigeria is going through are transient and the country will soon get over them.
He said that Nigeria has got to the turning point where it will join other developed nations as it is perfecting the starting point of conducting free and fair elections.
Stressing that the country is almost there, he said that there are some forces in the country working against the nation.
He said that all those trying to cause problem for the nation will not succeed, saying that his administration will leave the country better than it met it.
He said: “No Boko Haram or any group can frustrate this country. We may suffer pains just like our Lord Jesus said at the critical moment that though the spirit is willing but the body is weak.
Sometimes our body is very weak, we feel the pains of those who are our direct relations of those who have been killed carelessly. These are things I believe is the creation of the devil to slow down our progress as a nation.”
“Today you will agree with me that if you were in my shoes you will lack words to say. We had this programme in mind, we went to bed last night so that by this time today we will all gather here to thank God for what he has done for this country. But then only few minutes after 12 last night about 21 students were murdered in Yobe state by a group that describes themselves as Boko Haram.”
“If you were wearing my shoes, what courage will you have to stand here before Nigerians, what message would you send to Nigerians, the parents of these young people, our future leaders, students in the school of agriculture.”
“Do you say that the killing of these students is political? Which of the political parties do the students belong to? People who killed them don’t even know them. Do you say it is ethnic? Which ethnic group do the students belong to? Do you say it is religion or belief? These students are they Christians or Muslims?” He queried
“This is the situation that plays almost on a daily basis.
It is quiet depressing. But having listened to the message of the CAN President you will agree with me that all of us have hope and by God’s grace we will get to where we want to go as a nation.” He added
“The journey of a nation is like the journey of an individual, we must have obstacles. Sometimes they say it is even darker when it is getting to the dawn of the day. The challenges we are seeing now are very transient and we will get to the end of it.
Stressing that Nigeria is at the dawn of greatness, he said: “Nigeria is at the turning point where I believe we must move and join the global society. If you look at the journeys of nations, first and foremost before you liberate people you must make sure that they have a civilised way of electing their leaders and we have almost reached there.”
“We must make sure we conduct free and fair elections, but forces of evil don’t want it that way. They want a situation where they will continue to impose themselves or whoever they like on the people. Look at the successes in the telecom industry and we now say the power sector that immediately we liberalise it will now be like the telecom industry.”
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