Boko Haram: Jonathan cancels trip to Switzerland

Posted by admin Boko Haram, General Politics, Top Stories Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday cancelled his planned trip to Davos, Switzerland.

Although no official reason was given for the last minute change of plan, some Presidency sources attributed the decision to the onslaught being unleashed on the nation by members of the Islamic fundamental group, Boko Haram.

The President was initially meant to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos.

The event, which is a platform to woo investors, it was learnt, would attract about 80 heads of government across the world.

Some members of the President’s advance team were already in Davos while others were planning to leave Nigeria on Monday evening when the decision was taken and passed to them.

A source said the thinking in government circle was that the President could be accused of insensitivity if he decided to travel out of the country a few days members of Boko Haram attacked Kano and Bauchi states, leaving over 200 people dead.

The source further said the President’s handlers drew a lesson from what happened recently when he was billed to attend the centenary anniversary of the African National Congress in South Africa.

He said, “You know that the President was initially billed to attend that event in South Africa in the wake of the national strike and protests called by labour and civil society organisations.

“Despite the fact that he cancelled that trip, up until today, some mischievous people are still claiming that the President travelled when his country was boiling.

“This contributed to the change in plan. Of course, the cancellation also had to do with the President’s desire to continue to meet with his security chiefs more often in order to find a solution to the menace of the sect.”

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, confirmed the cancellation of the trip on the telephone.

Abati, however, said the decision to cancel the trip was a cost-cutting measure.

He added that the decision was also in consonance with the current mourning mood in the country.

Meanwhile, Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said there is no quick end to the killings across the country by Boko Haram.

In a statement by Osun State Bureau of Communication and Strategy, on Monday, Aregbesola said the latest orgy of killings by the sect in Kano and Borno states was alarming.

Lamenting the killing of Channels Television journalist, Eneche Akogwu, in Kano last Friday, Aregbesola said it was worrisome that journalists had become endangered species.

He said, “With journalists in the course on their duties becoming endangered species, the country is fast losing the hope of a quick halt to what he called the mindless killings.

“In the last few months, mindless killings of innocent souls have become a daily affair. What has been most disturbing is the inability of the Federal Government’s security agencies to track down the perpetrators let alone bring them to justice.”

Aregbesola said insurgence across the country arose from the festering cases of injustice, stressing that the “daily dastardly waste of innocent souls illustrates the abysmal level to which the country has sunk.”

The governor said, “The killing of Mr. Enenche Akogwu, a Correspondent with the Channels Television in Kano is a shattering development which should be condemned by all.

The young man was carrying out his noble duty but fell to the marauding hands of the perpetrators of the evil that is, regrettably, becoming part of the identities of Nigeria.

“It is sad enough that we have this situation on our hands as a country and as a people. It is sadder that journalists and any other professionals for that matter must be sacrificed so brutally in the course of their assignments.”

Aregbesola also prayed for the family of Akogwu for the loss, saying that Nigeria cannot compensate enough for this avoidable loss.

The governor also commiserated with the management of Channels Television, praying for the company to have the courage to bear the loss.

“I urge journalists in Nigeria to remain courageous even in the face of this devastating loss of their colleagues. They should not forget that their roles have been well documented in history as gallant fighters in the enthronement of democracy.

“Having reached this stage, they cannot afford to retreat without ensuring that Nigeria is totally free from all forces that tend to hold her down.”

-Sunwp_posts