IBB: Bloodletting Has To Stop

Former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida said yesterday that the prevalent bloodletting by Boko Haram in the country must stop.

Gen. Babangida, who made his position known in a statement which he personally signed, said the wanton killings and needless bloodletting had been retarding the nations’ 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”.

The retired military general pleaded with Nigerians to rise above partisan interests in addressing the security challenges confronting the country.

The statement added: “Even as I sympathise 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”.

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.