Gen. Babangida, who made his position known in a
statement which he personally signed, said the wanton killings and needless
bloodletting had been retarding our growth.
The statement said: “The latest
attack in Kaduna on Wednesday by yet unknown persons has once again thrown up
new dimensions in the political life of our dear country. This and several
other attacks have tended to portray our dear country as a terrorist nation
that is grasping with insecurity. To state the least, this bloodletting must
stop. This bloodletting has to stop.
“I have sat back in my quiet
retirement home in Minna to ponder over what could be the motivation for these
several attacks, but I am yet to find any explanation why Nigerians would be
killing fellow Nigerians.
“For those of us who fought the
civil war, our painful sense of nostalgia still remains deep, as much as our
patriotic attitude towards this great country, Nigeria.
“These wanton killings and needless
bloodletting have continued to retard our growth and democratic journey,
forcing the system to improvise all manner of mechanisms to arrest this descent
to anarchy.
“It is callous and inhuman for
anyone to goad this country on the path of perfidy, a path that is laid with
landmines and bombs. This is totally unacceptable.”
Gen. Babangida pleaded with
Nigerians to rise above partisanship in addressing the insecurity facing the
nation.
The statement added: “Even as I sympathize
with my colleague, former President, General Muhammadu Buhari, for escaping the
bomber’s scalpel, I also wish to condole with the families of those who lost
their lives in this attack.
“It is frightening and calls for
condemnation by all well-meaning people of Nigeria. We all must rise above
partisanship in our condemnation of this state of insecurity, as we all must be
united in our clear-cut resolve to finding solutions to this hydra-headed
situation we find ourselves.
“We must see this state of
insecurity as a Nigerian problem and not one that is pigeon-holed in any
particular region, religion or tribe. Nigerians, by virtue of their
nationality, should be free to live anywhere in the country without
molestation, harassment and intimidation.
“Let me also condole with Mr.
President on this unfortunate incident and the recurring decimal of insecurity
and crime against humanity that is fast polluting public morality. We all must
join hands with Mr. President at this critical time of our national history and
democratic journey to proffer solutions to this anti-development scenario that
is fast enveloping us.
“The President and our governors
need our prayers at various stages of their leadership to arrest this ugly
trend.”
Gen. Babangida said the nation must
continue to move on, in spite of the setbacks of the past few years.
He said: “Nigeria of our dream is one
that provides opportunity for all, irrespective of our cultural and political
differences; a nation that comprises several nation-states with abundant
resources and opportunities for our flourishing population.
“We must, therefore, be resolute in
our collective reasoning and determination to trudge on despite these obvious
setbacks in order to safely paddle the ship of state to a safe harbor.
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