By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna
Nigeria’s former military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has expressed deep worry over the resurgence of organised killings and pogrom in parts of the country and cautioned that the slide to anarchy would do no good to anyone.
Babangida said Nigerians of all ethnic divides must eschew all forms of bitterness, intolerance and hatred to live together with one another stressing that the bonds which ties Nigerians as one people, one destiny must not be allowed to be broken.
In a statement he made available in Minna, his home state, General Babangida said recent terrible upheavals were not good omen for Nigeria’s collective existence.
He therefore urged all Nigerians and governments at all levels to rise up and check further bloodletting, destruction of valuables by resolving all issues that have sparked off ugly developments in parts of the country in recent times.
Babangida lamented that national security, integration and cohesion were being threatened following increase in the spate of mass killings in several parts of the country.
He advised that Nigerians must quickly rise to the challenges and stop the acrimony as brothers and sisters.
The former military leader urged the media in the country to particularly be above board in the discharge of it’s onerous responsibility to the country and citizens alike. He said the media must rise above sentiment and serve as national vanguards particularly in ensuring national cohesion and in tackling present day security challenges now bedevilling the country and avoid blowing up the embers of discord.
The statement which was particularly concerned about the Armed Forces Remembrance Day, urged Nigerians to always remember those who laid their lives for Nigeria. The Nigerian Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Nigeria is marked every January 15th.
Babangida therefore urged Nigerians to continue to support the country’s fallen heroes. He said the efforts and sacrifices of those who laid down their lives to preserve the unity of Nigeria should not be rubbished or forgotten.
He tasked Nigerians particularly those who are well placed to support the upkeep of the family members of those who made sacrifices to keep Nigeria as one.
He therefore called on Nigerians to demonstrate tolerance of one another and live as brothers in an atmosphere devoid of rancor, bitterness, acrimony and fightings.
The former military President urged Nigerians to rise up for the good of Nigeria especially now that the country was faced with daunting, myriad problems of nationhood, insecurity, terrorism, kidnapping, cultism, ethnic pogrom and many others.
”We should cooperate with and support our security agencies with useful and relevant information and intelligence to assist them in tackling the issues before us as a people” he said.
He charged citizens to always eschew bitterness, shun hate speeches, discrimination and other shades of intolerance, bloodletting and destruction.
Babangida regretted that the country has in the recent past witnessed terrible development. ‘We have witnessed so much bloodshed through communal clashes. This must be stopped” he stressed.
And while making reference to the recent announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission on the release of the time table for the next general elections, he said ”as we enter electioneering period, I urge the political class and their supporters to be mindful of what they say and do so as not to breach the existing peace.
He added that Nigerians must be conscious of our utterances during political campaigns and avoid anything that could tear down the fabrics of national unity.
He similarly had a strong word of caution to the members of the armed forces in the country. The former military leader reminded the members of the armed forces to remain neutral, apolitical and professional and refuse to be dragged into partisan politics.
The former military President also paid glowing tributes to all the fallen heroes of Nigeria and condoled with their families saying all those who laid down their lives in the sacrifice to keep Nigeria secured from internal and external threats should always be celebrated.
