- Title: NIGERIA: Jonathan addresses Boko Haram attacks at muted centenary celebrations
- Date: 27th February 2014
- Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (FEBRUARY 27, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF CONFERENCE VENUE WIDE OF CONFERENCE HALL VARIOUS OF NIGERIAN PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND OTHER DIGNITARIES ENTERING VENUE OF CONFERENCE TOP VIEW OF CONFERENCE HALL JONATHAN TAKING HIS SEAT VARIOUS OF DIGNITARIES SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIAN PRESIDENT, GOODLUCK JONATHAN, SAYING: "As I address you today, I have a heavy heart. Only two days ago terrorists invaded a secondary school and murdered innocent children in Yobe state, one of our states, while they slept. The children, the hopes of their parents and the future leaders of our dear nation had their hopes and dreams snuffed out leaving behind grieving families, school mates, communities and a sad nation. Our prayers and thoughts are with their families at this difficult moment of loss. This gruesome and mindless acts of savagery is not Nigerian, it's not African. Let me assure all Nigerians that we will spare no resource to bring those murderers to justice." MORE OF DIGNITARIES (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIAN PRESIDENT, GOODLUCK JONATHAN, SAYING: "We must not allow our countries to become safe havens for terrorists. We must cooperate maximally in better managing our political boundaries. We should adopt protocols that allow countries to pursue terrorists well into their safe havens in other nations. While we cannot redefine our borders we must redefine our collective approach to ending trans-boundary terrorism and insurgencies." VARIOUS OF FLORAL ARRANGEMENT IN CENTRE OF CONFERENCE HALL FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS HOLLANDE SEATED JONATHAN SEATED (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT, JOSE MANUEL BARROSO, SAYING: "Our peace support operations; we are actively supporting missions from AMISOM in Somalia to MINISMA in Mali to MISCA in the Central African Republic. We support the principle of African solutions for African problems. But besides political or financial support we also participate with personnel. We currently have nine operations deployed in Africa with over 2,300 men and women serving in support of African efforts to consolidate peace security and stability and we are determined to work further with you in re-enforcing African capabilities and capacities to take over the lead whenever and wherever you can." CONFERENCE HALL
- Embargoed: 14th March 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nigeria
- Country: Nigeria
- Reuters ID: LVA6DDC2ZJ2QJ9278HENNB26WUMT
- Story Text: A muted tone marked centenary celebrations in Nigeria on Thursday (February 27) where President Goodluck Jonathan addressed recent Boko Haram attacks.
Speaking at the security conference held as part of activities to mark Nigeria's centenary celebrations, Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan expressed his grief over the recent attack in northeast Nigeria.
"As I address you today, I have a heavy heart, only two days ago terrorists invaded a secondary school and murdered innocent children in Yobe state, one of our states while they slept. The children, the hopes of their parents and the future leaders of our dear nation had their hopes and dreams snuffed out leaving behind grieving families, school mates, communities and a sad nation. Our prayers and thoughts are with their families at this difficult moment of loss. This gruesome and mindless acts of savagery is not Nigerian, it's not African. Let me assure all Nigerians that we will spare no resource to bring those murderers to justice," he said.
"We must not allow our countries to become safe havens for terrorists. We must cooperate maximally in better managing our political boundaries. We should adopt protocols that allow countries to pursue terrorists well into their safe havens in other nations. While we cannot redefine our borders we must redefine our collective approach to ending trans-boundary terrorism and insurgencies," President Jonathan added.
The Nigerian government is actively fighting Boko Haram which has led an armed insurgency for four and a half years to try to impose an Islamic state in the predominantly Muslim north of the country.
The group is suspected of involvement in the kidnapping of several French in recent months, including father George Vandenbeusch kidnapped in Cameroon and released in late 2013.
European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso, while giving his speech on "Human Security, Peace and Development - Agenda for 21st Century Africa", reiterated European Union's support for Africa in achieving peace and security.
"Our peace support operations; we are actively supporting missions from AMISOM in Somalia to MINISMA in Mali to MISCA in CAR. We support the principle of African solutions for African problems. But besides political or financial support we also participate with personnel we currently have nine operations deployed in Africa with over 2,300 men and women serving in support of African efforts to consolidate peace security and stability and we are determined to work further with you in re-enforcing African capabilities and capacities to take over the lead whenever and wherever you can," he said.
Also present at the conference, French President Francois Hollande, who is expected to travel on Friday to Central African Republic on the way to his return to France.
Invoking a pre- genocidal situation, France launched on December 5 Sangaris the operation alongside African forces to help restore security in a country mired in chaos since the coup of rebels Seleka, predominantly Muslim in March 2013.
France has decided to mid-February to send 400 men over RCA , bringing the contingent to 2,000 men, and the government has got the green light Tuesday from Parliament to extend the operation beyond four months. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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