Boko Haram: UN Backs FG, Gowon Insists On One Nigeria

The United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU), have pledged to support Nigeria to tackle the problem of Boko Haram that has given citizens of the country sleepless nights for some time now.

Making this known at the opening of the 18th ordinary session of the African Heads of States in Addis-Ababa,the Ethiopian capital, the Secretary General of United Nations, Ban Ki Moon, condemned the activities of the Islamic sect, Boko Haram which  he said was unacceptable.

The UN Scribe in his address at the session stated that the organisation and African Union would do its best to support Nigeria to ensure that the activities of Boko were tackled adequately.

Ban Ki Moon also condemned the activities of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and the rising wave of drug trafficking in the continent.

He said, “ I am deeply troubled by the indiscrimate, unacceptable and unjustified terror that have been unleashed on Nigerian people, and that should not continue”.

Meanwhile, the radical Islamic sect, Boko Haram has rejected the call by the President, Dr Goodluck to a talk, if the arrested members of the sect were not freed.

The spokesman of the sect , Abdul Abul told newsmen in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital that government should expect imminent attacks in Sokoto because of their members arrested.

Meanwhile, former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has decried the armed uprising by the Boko Haram sect against the Nigerian people and re-stated his belief in the unity of the country.

General Gowon stated this in an interview with newsmen at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa at the weekend.

According to him, “ by saying that southerners should leave the northern part of the country, what they are calling for is more or less trying to divide the country”.

He said that the Nigerian people had repeatedly expressed their belief in the unity of this country as demonstrated in the Civil War and the botched Gideon Orka-led coup, adding that Nigerians are saying no to what Boko Haram is saying at the moment”.

‘We are better together as a people with all our differences than being divided into pieces to be picked and used by anybody”, he said.

He said that the sectarian group was not representing the interest of both the moslem community and the entire people of the North, noting that the Nigerian people could not actually understand what the group was fighting for.

“Nigerians should not take Boko Haram to be speaking the voice of the people of the North or the moslem from the North. This is a very small section that one does not know whether  there is political interest getting them to do what they are doing in order to get what they want.

I hear Mr President saying that well, whoever they are let them come out openly and say who they are and what they really want and he is prepared to talk with them”, he said

The former Head of State urged them to accept the offer by the President so that the problem would be discussed and resolved amicably.

He assured that the Nigerian Armed Forces were competent to handle security challenges in the country and urged members of Boko Haram sect to embrace dialogue in the interest of the country.

He also called on Christians resident in the North to remain firm to their faith, saying that the governors from the North had assured that they would give protection to every Nigerian citizen in that part of the country to practise his faith.

“Yes, one wants to live, But I think they must have the courage to remain firm to their faith and stay there,” he said

Reward Akwu