E.E.R: Be and Act As True Commander-In-Chief, Shehu Sani Tells Jonathan

Sunday, June 1, 2014

Be and Act As True Commander-In-Chief, Shehu Sani Tells Jonathan

Act As Commander-In-Chief, Sani Tells Jonathan

A north-based civil rights activist, Mr. Shehu Sani, has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to defend his Commander-in-Chief status by visiting areas affected by the insurgency of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

He said the insurgency was not peculiar to the North but a national crisis. He added that Nigeria would surmount the problem, just like several other countries that had faced similar challenges.

Sani said, “If you are the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, you are not only the Commander-in-Chief of a part of the country that is peaceful; you are the Commander-in-Chief of the whole country.

“There is no other time for a leader to prove his worth, value, excellence and mettle than a period of national crisis or emergency like this. Some great leaders were discovered during war time or crisis. It is then you will see of what value a leader is.”

While speaking to our correspondent in an interview, Sani said contrary to reports, he was not a sympathiser of Boko Haram.

He said critics of the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls by the group equally had the responsibility to do what he was doing to secure their release.

The sect abducted pupils of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State in April 14.

Sani said many views shared by people on the insurgency and the abduction were wrong. According to him, the critics are far from the reality on ground in the affected areas.

He said, “How can I have sympathy for the sect? When the Americans sent their envoy to sit down and negotiate between the Irish and the British governments, it did not mean that they (Americans) had sympathy for the Ireland.

“That (accusation) has to do with intellectual deficiency and ignorance of people who are completely cut off from the knowledge of what is really happening in the international community.”

Sani advised the Federal Government to weigh its options on Boko Haram critically to be able to defend the consequences of the actions to be taken.

He said it was better for government to be criticised for accepting to negotiate with the sect and be able to bring the Chibok girls back alive than to be blamed for any disaster that might come from applying force to rescue the girls.

“If you release 10 to 15 of the insurgents in detention, they cannot do worse damage than what we have suffered as a country for four years,” Sani stated.

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A north-based civil rights activist, Mr. Shehu Sani, has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to defend his Commander-in-Chief status by visiting areas affected by the insurgency of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram.

He said the insurgency was not peculiar to the North but a national crisis. He added that Nigeria would surmount the problem, just like several other countries that had faced similar challenges.

Sani said, “If you are the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, you are not only the Commander-in-Chief of a part of the country that is peaceful; you are the Commander-in-Chief of the whole country.

“There is no other time for a leader to prove his worth, value, excellence and mettle than a period of national crisis or emergency like this. Some great leaders were discovered during war time or crisis. It is then you will see of what value a leader is.”

While speaking to our correspondent in an interview, Sani said contrary to reports, he was not a sympathiser of Boko Haram.

He said critics of the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls by the group equally had the responsibility to do what he was doing to secure their release.

The sect abducted pupils of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State in April 14.

Sani said many views shared by people on the insurgency and the abduction were wrong. According to him, the critics are far from the reality on ground in the affected areas.

He said, “How can I have sympathy for the sect? When the Americans sent their envoy to sit down and negotiate between the Irish and the British governments, it did not mean that they (Americans) had sympathy for the Ireland.

“That (accusation) has to do with intellectual deficiency and ignorance of people who are completely cut off from the knowledge of what is really happening in the international community.”

Sani advised the Federal Government to weigh its options on Boko Haram critically to be able to defend the consequences of the actions to be taken.

He said it was better for government to be criticised for accepting to negotiate with the sect and be able to bring the Chibok girls back alive than to be blamed for any disaster that might come from applying force to rescue the girls.

“If you release 10 to 15 of the insurgents in detention, they cannot do worse damage than what we have suffered as a country for four years,” Sani stated.