South African Lawmaker Calls Jonathan’s Silence Over Baga ‘Irresponsible’

South African youth leader and federal lawmaker, Julius Malema, has slammed President Goodluck Jonathan over his handling of the massacre in Baga, Borno State. He described Jonathan as “irresponsible” and suggested that his country, South Africa, intervenes in the fight against the extremist Boko Haram sect in Nigeria.

Malema, who leads the Economic Freedom Fighters Party, criticised the Nigerian president for rushing to publicly condemn the terrorist attack in France on a French newspaper, when he has until date, said nothing about the massacre in Baga.

Boko Haram had attacked Baga, a fishing community on the northern tip of Borno State by Lake Chad, killing hundreds of soldiers and civilians. Human rights group, Amnesty International, said at least 2,000 people were killed in the attack, calling it the worst attack since Boko Haram started its bloody campaign in 2009.

Malema, who had previously served as the president of the African National Congress Youth League, called the action of the Nigerian president the demonstration of “irresponsible leadership”.

“Eh Goodlook, or Goodluck or whatever his name is or badluck I don’t know …He is quick to release statement about the killing in Paris; but don’t (doesn’t) say anything about the killings in his own country. That’s an irresponsible leadership,” Malema told a press conference.

“We are really saddened by what is happening in Nigeria. It is highly disturbing.”

Speaking further, he suggested that South Africa intervenes in the fight against insurgency.

“And we need South African Government to intervene and we will be raising the matter in the Parliament.

“We will make the Parliament to debate it as an urgent matter and pass the resolution for South African intervention in Nigeria,” he said.