IBB flays attack on Buhari, says this bloodletting must stop

Former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, has condemned the attempt to kill his predecessor, General Muhammadu Buhari, describing the attack as portraying Nigeria as a terrorist nation.

IBB in a statement he personally signed and made available to Vanguard last night also sympathised with the families of those killed by the twin blasts that rocked Kaduna State on Wednesday, saying they have thrown up new dimensions in the political life of Nigeria.

But the former leader made a strong case for the bloodletting to be halted without further delay.

IBB said: To state the least, this bloodletting must stop. This bloodletting has to stop.

People look at the burnt out shell of a car following an explosion on July 23, 2014 in Kaduna, north of Nigeria. A second blast today in the city has killed at least 17 people, the national rescue agency said, after an earlier suicide attack in the city killed at least 25. An around-the-clock curfew was announced for the city after the bombings. AFP PHOTO

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 manners 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.

Even as I sympathise with my colleague former President, General Mohammadu Buhari for escaping the bombers 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 Nigeria 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. 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.

May our prayers in this Holy month of Ramadan be answered. May the Almighty Allah continue to give our leaders at the various tiers of government the uncommon courage, wisdom, determination and resilience to handle the challenges that confront us as a people encircled by common destiny. Amen, the former president prayed.