‘I am worried over spate of kidnapping, killings’ – Ex-President Jonathan

A former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has said he was worried over the growing insecurity in some parts of Nigeria.

Jonathan also said he was worried over the state of insecurity of Nigerians, if his residence at Otuoke, Bayelsa State could be attacked.

He, however, said he was hopeful that Nigeria will overcome its current insecurity.

According to a statement on Thursday, by his former media aide, Dr. Ikechukwu Eze, the former president spoke during a visit on him by executive members of the National Association of Nigerian Students, who paid him a solidarity visit over the December 24, 2019 attack by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.

He stated that he was traumatised with the killing of a soldier guarding his residence during the attack.

Jonathan said, “I thank you for coming to sympathise with me and my family. The fact that a soldier lost his life in that attack traumatises me. That young man wouldn’t have died, the way he did if he was not protecting me.

“Whenever people come to me, just as you people have come, to talk about that attack, I feel worried about the general society. Whenever I consider that people could do that to a former President who has reasonable security guarding him, my mind reaches out to the rest of Nigerians who do not have that level of protection.

“I am worried that so many people are becoming victims of sporadic shootings, kidnappings and so on. I believe that the country will get over the kind of insecurity it currently faces.”

Jonathan emphasised the importance of education for national development.

He urged the students to be serious with their studies, adding that it is only when people are educated that the country would be able to manage governance and developmental issues better.

He said, “For you young people, I urge you to believe in yourselves and believe in your country. Surely we will get to our destination.

Speaking earlier, the NANS President, Danielson Akpan, said they came to sympathise with Jonathan over the attack.

He commended the ex-President for his legacies in the education sector, adding that many students that enrolled in the 12 new federal universities that were established during Jonathan’s tenure had successfully graduated.

He commended Jonathan for conceding defeat and handing over to his successor, President Muhammadu Buhari.

Akpan said, “The student that enrolled when you created those universities are now graduates. Some are gainfully employed; some are already employers of labour while some that have left the shores of our country are doing excellently well abroad.

“Your Excellency, Nigerians believe in you and what you stand for; that elections should be freely conducted as you did in 2015. That particular call you placed to your successor on March 31, 2015 is a notable achievement for which history will continue to hold you very dearly till eternity.”

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