Former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has said in Akure, Ondo State on Tuesday that the rising spate of killings is nothing short of terrorism; but for President Muhammadu Buhari, those whining about insecurity are unpatriotic.
Buhari said at a meeting with his supporters: “Every country in the world has security challenges. While we have made significant progress in the fight against terrorism, we acknowledge that there are also new and emerging challenges like kidnapping and banditry.
“I assure you and Nigerians that we will not relent in our efforts to secure the country from criminal activities. Those who politicise the isolated cases of insecurity are not patriotic Nigerians.
“I’m confident that this administration uses all resources at its disposal to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians and not just prominent Nigerians or those who make headlines.’’
Goodluck was on a condolence visit to the leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti over the death of his daughter, Mrs Funke Olakunrin; while Buhari was meeting with members of the National Executive of the Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO) in the State House, Abuja.
In Akure, Jonathan said: “Every generation of human being face problems and that generation must find ways of solving that problem. Every government faces some unique problems. Insecurity has been with us immediately after the civil war. That was the first time we experienced armed robbery in Lagos. From armed robbery, it graduated to kidnapping.
“The first major kidnapping was described as commercial kidnapping because some money exchanged hands. This happened in 2006 when I was governor of Bayelsa State. From commercial kidnapping, it moved to terrorism in the north and now some kind of terrorist attacks are all over the country when people will just come out of the road and spray bullets on innocent people. That is a terrorist attack. You have no reason to attack somebody you don’t even know, that is terrorism.”
Olakunrin died after being shot by hoodlums alleged to be Fulani herdsmen along Ore-Shagamu Expressway.
Jonathan urged the Federal Government to look beyond politics and implement the report of the 2014 national conference which recommendations dealt with the issue of security.
His words, “In 2014 when I was president, we had a national conference where a number of things were discussed. The issues of security; state and regional police were discussed.
“I always believe that if the government looks into that report; because it was not written by me, so we should not play politics with national issues. If we look into that report, there are recommendations.
“A lot of things were discussed during the national conference organized during my time as president. The issue of security, state and community policing were discussed. I always believe that the government should look at that report, it was not written by me.
“We should not play politics with a serious national issue. If we look at that report, there are recommendations that bother on security and if there is an area that needs to be expanded because I believe everyday new idea comes, it should be updated.
“There is nothing wrong holding a specific meeting to look at the issue of security. I believe the federal and state governments need to have a new approach, deploy technology and have more money to protect our people…“I was there as a President for some time, security challenges were there with me, I also inherited some. But it is getting worse every day. And we cannot continue to use the same old method”.