Boko Haram: Obasanjo’s comments irresponsible – Northern Patriots

Support came from unexpected quarter for  the Dr Goodluck Jonathan government as some groups of northerners rose in defence of his leadership style. They castigated former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for openly faulting the Federal Government handling of the security challenges facing the country, particularly the menacing attacks from the Boko Haram sect.
Speaking at an event, during the week in Warri, Delta State,  to commemorate  the 40 years pastoral work of President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsajefor, former President, Chief Olusegun, had expressed disdain over the Federal Government’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgence in Borno State and the entire North-East zone. In the view of the former president, President Jonathan  has not been firm enough in addressing the security challenge facing the country.
Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, Alhaji Ali Abacha and Engineer Ahmed Mohammed,  chairman and secretary, respectively of Coalition of Northern Patriots,  expressed shock that  the former president could call for the application of  the destruction of lives visited on   innocent civilians on Odi, in Bayelsa and Zaki Biam, in Benue states under his administration in 1999 and 2002, respectively, on the  North-eastern states.
The group dismissed the suggestion as callous, unguarded and appealed to him to exercise caution in his public statements. “It is sad that with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s exposure and experience in government, he could describe the callous destruction of the innocent citizens and their property as  a mark of strong leadership. Whatever Obasanjo says on an issue, we expect him to think it over, before making public statements.
Whatever comes out of Obasanjo’s mouth, must be guided statements. Advising President Jonathan  to kill in the North to achieve peace would aggravate the problem. Religion is a sensitive issue. If the president attacks  predominantly Muslim communities, it could be misconstrued as attacks on Muslems,” they said. While advising President Jonathan to disregard the admonition from Obasanjo, the Coalition of Northern Patriots further submitted that the exercise of caution on the part of President Jonathan did not amount to being a weak leader.
“A  critical assessment of the situation will show that one cannot place the problem the nation faced in Odi and Zaki Biam, on the same platform  with the challenge that is Boko Haram. It will be thoughtless and irresponsible for anyone to suggest to the President to apply the tactics of destruction to the entire North and the North East. To any patriotic Nigerian, it should be clear that the administration is making steady progress in the fight.”