Direct your anger at Boko Haram, not me – Jonathan tells protesters

A team of government officials, representing President Goodluck Jonathan, met the protesters half-way on

President Goodluck Jonathan has urged Nigerians, especially the #BringBackOurGirls campaign protesters, to learn from citizens of other countries who do not blame their governments for terrorist acts.

Jonathan said this yesterday in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide, to a group of protesters led by former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwezili.

“When a bomb goes off in Bagdad, Iraq, the people of Iraq do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists. When a bomb goes off in Islamabad, Pakistan, the people of Pakistan do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists. When a bomb goes off in Nigeria, we must all unite to fight the terrorists,” he said.

The protesters, who had planned to take their protest to the Presidential Villa where they wanted the president to address them were restricted by a wall of security agents who directed them to the Federal Secretariat within the Three Arms Zone, a few metres from the Villa gate.

Jonathan, in the speech, said “It is wrong and most unfair to suggest that there was a slow reaction to this kidnapping. As Commander-in-Chief, Mr. President meets with the security chiefs almost daily and he is on constant consultation with regional and global partners on this terrorists’ threat.

“We must be careful not to politicize the campaign against terrorism”

He urged them to direct their protest to the Boko Haram terrorists and not him or the government.

The #BringBackOurGirls campaign is a protest held for the release of over 230 schoolgirls kidnapped in Chibok, Borno State last month.