President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday, reiterated his position that the Boko Haram menace is worse than Nigeria’s civil war. The country fought the war between 1967 and 1970.
He said contrary to the case of the civil war where enemies and their territories could be easily identified, enemies in the case of the Islamist sect live within the people.
The President has, however, assured that terrorism would soon end, adding that no matter how long darkness lingers, light would prevail one day.
Jonathan stated this when he had audience with a delegation of the College of Bishops of African Church led by the Primate, Most Rev. Emmanuel Udofia, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The President urged the clerics to continue with their prayers for the country which have kept Nigeria from disintegration.
He said: “I have to thank you for your prayers because this country is facing challenges that we never expected. I always say it that apart from those of us from the Eastern region who witnessed the effect of the civil war, people may have not witnessed this kind of insecurity in the country.
“In the North East, it is almost like a civil war, it is even more than the civil war because in a civil war, you know the battle line, either a Biafran or Nigerian, you know where to run to.
“But this one, you don’t even know where to run to because the enemies are in your sokoto (trouser’s) pocket. So, it is a problem. But with your prayers, God has been kind and whatever the enemy contemplates he will never get there.”
Jonathan said how to mould and create a society that is conducive for people to interact is more important than the physical infrastructure that is provided, “just like the university example where the character is more important than the learning.
Earlier, Udofia had indicted security agents, saying some of them are sympathetic to Boko Haram members. Udofia said he led his members on the visit to identify with the government’s laudable programmes and achievements, including the construction of roads, remodeling of airports, scholarship scheme for first class graduates, privatisation of power sector, establishment of more federal universities, agricultural transformation and rebasing of the GDP.
He described the Boko Haram sect as the most unfortunate affront on the present administration.
He said the government’s human face and all-inclusive approach should have been appreciated by Nigerians if the killings and maiming had stopped.
He said, “Since the dawn of these ugly and demonic attacks, you have been so magnanimous by applying the carrot and stick measure, yet the bombings have escalated but certainly not beyond God’s control.
