Nobody or Group can Hold this Country to Ransom — Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, reiterated the resolve of his administration at combating the threat posed by the Boko Haram sect.

 Speaking at the first Sunday church service of the year at the Church of Christ In Nations (COCIN) Abuja, mr president insisted that Nigeria “must be liberated from evil people”.

 “Nobody or group can hold this country to ransom. We will collectively liberate this country from any evil person, so that we can leave behind a Nigeria that our children and grandchildren will be proud of”, he said.

 The President noted that the Boko Haram menace was a temporary problem that will be defeated.

 In his words, “Boko Haram is temporary, Boko Haram will surely go. A number of countries are facing similar challenges and some have been able to overcome it and surely we will overcome Boko Haram. Life in the North must change; development must go to all parts of this country”.

 He added that there's noting new with the heightened political atmosphere in the country.

 “Let me reassure you again that myself and those who have been elected in this period, that the political environment is always noisy all over the world. There is nowhere you won’t hear so much noise.

 Even the United States of America, not long ago, the country was almost shut down. For so many months people were worried that the country that has practised democracy for so many years could get to that situation. But that is politics for you.

 “But let me reassure you that we will continue to work harder to improve the quality of lives of Nigerians. We are particularly committed to knowing where our challenges are, especially in some parts of the North.

 We are quite pleased with the measures from the outgoing President (of COCIN) and the measures of the incoming President concerning Boko Haram. We sympathize with those who have been affected by the executions.”

 President of COCIN, Rev. Dachollom Datiri noted that the church has suffered greatly from Boko Haram attacks in its branches in the North East.

 He, however, commended the President for declaring State of Emergency in the three northern states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa, which he said has checked activities of the insurgents.

 —Abuja, Nigeria. (NAN).