PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has said that he never imagined that Nigerians could make themselves available to be used as suicide bombers but has vowed to lead Nigerians to defeat Boko Haram.
He declared: “I never for once thought that I would, in my life time, hear of Nigerians strapping bombs to themselves and blowing up innocent people. We would have sworn that it is impossible! Ten years ago, no Nigerian would have imagined it. We thought it was something that could only happen in other countries.
“But here we are today witnessing this sordid phenomenon. Even women, who are not known for violence, are now involved. We will defeat terror and I will lead Nigerians to achieve this.”
Speaking at the official launching of the Victim Support Fund at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday night, he also remarked that the fact that the fund was being set up was not an admission that terrorism had come to stay in the country.
He said: “The fact that we are setting up a victims support fund does not mean we have accepted that terrorism is here to stay. No! Never! Rather, this is just one of the short-term measures in our overall strategy against the enemies of peace and progress.”
Jonathan noted that he understands the worries of many Nigerians about terrorism in the country, a phenomenon he observed, took the nation unawares but he assured: “We will not allow evil to overcome good. No! We will not!”
He also noted that it was unbelievable to think that “some twisted minds” could kidnap innocent school girls and keep them in captivity for months, saying that in his administration’s effort to rescue the abducted Chibok school girls, “we have had to battle with the dilemma of demonstrating military might and endangering their lives or undermining the sovereignty of Nigeria by succumbing to the blackmail of the terrorists on their own terms.
