President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered security services in the country to fashion out and execute more intelligence measures to counter terrorism measures in conjunction with security operatives of other countries to fight terrorists in the country.
The president, who said this in his Eid-el-Fitr message to Nigerians yesterday, said the development was against the backdrop of last Friday’s terrorist attack on the United Nation’s Building in Abuja “and other recent events which may have caused Nigerians to be apprehensive about the security of their lives and property.
He also congratulated Muslims in the country for successfully completing their Ramadan fast.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the president assured Nigerians that he would not be distracted from the full implementation of his Agenda for National Transformation by the actions of terrorists and retrogressive elements in the country.
The statement reads in part, “As the nation and the rest of the world mark Eid-El-Fitri and the end of Ramadan, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan congratulates all Nigerians of the Islamic faith who have successfully completed the month-long Ramadan fast.
“In this regard, President Jonathan has directed the security services to rapidly evolve and implement additional security, intelligence-gathering and counter-terrorism measures, including greater cooperation with other nations engaged in the global war against terrorism, to thwart the evil machinations of misguided terrorists and other promoters of mindless violence in the country.
Also, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, yesterday, urged Nigerians to be security conscious and report any funny moves to security authorities as Muslims in the country celebrate the Sallah.
He also urged Muslim Ummah to be steadfast and prayerful to enable the country enjoy relative peace and stability even as said that that it was the only way to build a developed and egalitarian society and a transformed nation.
Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), three state governors, Gabriel Suswam (Benue); Kashim Shettima (Borno); Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), also urged Nigerians to eschew bitterness and live in peace.
Sambo and other personalities stated this in their Sallah messages to Nigerians.
In his Sallah message signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Umar Sani, Sambo said, “as we get set to celebrate this year’s Sallah,
I call on all Nigerians to be security conscious and report any suspicious movement by agents of destabilisation in our midst to the security agencies
“Our spiritual journey in the last 29 days has been fulfilling having satisfied the injunction of Allah (SWT) directing us to fast in the Holy month of Ramadan.
“We have fasted and prayed fervently for peace, prosperity and progress for ourselves and our dear nation and the acceptance of our supplication by Allah (SWT), we have explored various means, to ensure that we witnessed the night of power (lailatul Qadr) so that Allah will forgive us our sins and trespasses and bestow on us the very many bounties He alone commands.
Babangida has also urged Nigerians to shun violence and support governments at all levels in the country to improve security.
In his Sallah message, signed by his spokesman, Prince Kassim Afegbua, Babangida urged Nigerians to live within the dictates of the law.
He said, “as we celebrate the completion of the month of Ramadan, I wish to salute all the Muslims worldwide for their sense of tolerance, perseverance,
understanding and commitment to the ideals of Allah during this period.
“We must refocus our selves to the positive side of life, shun violence, support governments at the various levels, and live within the dictates of the law of the land.”
Meanwhile, Ekweremadu has congratulated the Muslim Umah on the occasion of Eid-el Fitr for the successful observance of the holy month of Ramadan.
Senator Ekweremadu, who urged Muslims to replicate the great lessons imbibed through the teachings and sober reflections in Ramadan, said that finding lasting solutions to the rising spate of insecurity in the nation, was one of the most urgent post-Ramadan challenges facing not only the Muslim Umah, but the Nigerian people as a whole.
In his message, Suswam appealed to Nigerians behind the recent bomb explosions in the country to resolve during this holy season to put an end to the unfortunate incidents.
He said that since the holy season of Eid-el-Fitri imposesd an obligation on all Muslims to pray for peace and tranquillity in the land it behoves on the Muslims to pray for peace in our dear country.
“As we celebrate this Sallah, we enjoin Muslims to pray against violence in our country. Let us use this occasion of Eid-el-Fitri to put a firm stop to the orgy of bomb blasts and violence that we have witnessed since the outcome of the last general elections.
“The recent incident of the bombing of the UN office complex in Abuja and the many lives lost in previous bomb attacks and the other violent outbursts across the country should cause all Nigerians to have a rethink to this unnecessary bloodletting” he said.
According to the Governor, “we have no other country than Nigeria, if we destroy it we will be left without a country.”
Shettima in his message assured people living in Borno state that adequate security measures have been put in place to protect their lives and properties throughout the sallah period.
In a statement signed by the Deputy Director Press, Government House Maiduguri, Mr. Ndahi Pindar Sawa, Shettima said government would live up to its responsibilities in providing security and other basic social amenities to the people.
The Governor urged the people to continue to pray for peace to reign in the state so that Borno would once again regain its lost glory as the “Home of Peace” while government on its part would continue to provide security to lives and property of the general public.
The Governor also said that government was not unmindful of the hardship being experienced by the people as a result of the ban on commercial motorcycle operators in Maiduguri and Jere Local Government Areas, and added that palliative measures were being taken to cushion the hardship through the provision of Tri-Cycles and Buses.
Governor Ajimobi as well as the spiritual head of Shafaudeen in Islam, Prof Sabitu Ariyo Olagoke have urged Muslims to extend hands of festivity to the less privileged in the society, especially the victims of last weekend flood disaster.
Ajimobi advised Muslims to allow the lessons of the holy month permeate their lives and refrain from acts that could rubbish their month long spirituality and stressed that Islam taught us to be sober in all that we do and it was from this premise that I enjoin Muslims not to engage in extravagant spending.
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