REVEALED: International Communities Snub President Jonathan’s Appeal To Fight Terrorism -Obanikoro

The Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro has responded to those saying the Federal Government was too slow to react to the wave of terrorism being perpetrated by the Boko Haram sect across Nigeria.

While hosting a delegation from the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Defence, led by Maj.-Gen Simon Porter in Abuja on Monday, the former Nigerian ambassador to Ghana said a request made by President Goodluck Jonathan, to the global community for assistance in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency was ignored last year.

 

The minister stated that the President Jonatha called out to all friends of Nigeria for support against the insurgency while speaking to a Chief Correspondent of the CNN, Ms Christine Amanpour, last year.

Amb. Obanikoro
He said the call by the President did not attract any response from the international community.

Obanikoro however, opined that Nigeria was appreciative of the current response of some countries to the call for assistance in the ongoing fight against the Boko Haram insurgents.

“Well, as I have said, this is not a blame game; I am just speaking for the record. Last year in Davos, our President, while speaking to CNN Chief Correspondent, Amanpour, did say that Nigeria was reaching out to all our friends to come and assist us in putting an end to this insurgency.

“But unfortunately, there was no response at the time. As I said it is not a blame game; the interest is to end this crisis and we are thankful that some countries have come to assist us this time,” he said.

 

It could be recalled that after the Boko Haram sect abducted over 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State on 14 April, 2014, international communities have come out to wage war against terrorism in Nigeria.