Jonathan wants Trump to intervene to end religious extremism in Nigeria

Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan has made a passionate plea to the United States (US) government under President Donald Trump, to help bring an end to religious extremism in Nigeria in any way possible.

Jonathan stated this in a speech entitled, “Challenges of Nigerian Christians and the Niger Delta Question-A Summary,” which he delivered at the U.S. House Sub Committee on Africa on Wednesday.

“I am here, calling on this august body and the new American administration of President Donald J Trump, of whom we are very confident, to please work with the government and people of Nigeria by way of capacity building and intelligence gathering and sharing and indeed in any way possible to bring an end to religious extremism in Nigeria,” Jonathan said.

The former president’s spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, who disclosed details of the meeting in a statement made available to newsmen, said that the meeting was part of efforts of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation to fulfil its mission to promote peace and prosperity in Nigeria and Africa.

“Let me start by thanking Congressman, Christopher H. Smith, Chairman U.S. House Sub-Committee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations for inviting me to share my views on the crisis facing Christians in Nigeria today and the Niger Delta question.

“The U.S. Congress is a powerful institution not just for good governance in the U.S. but also for global peace and development. Over the years, the U.S. Congress has shown consistent interest in African affairs and I thank you for this and for showing interest in Nigeria.

“You highlighted a number of very sensitive issues you wanted me to touch on. I group all these issues under ‘Challenges Facing Nigerian Christians and the Niger Delta Question’. A full discussion on even one of these issues may take a minimum of two hours, but here, I am expected to be very brief. I will therefore present a bird’s eye view, but when next your committee visits Nigeria, even more detailed presentations will be made by other stake holders.”

Emphasising on the need to tame religious persecution and extremism in Nigeria ex-President Jonathan said, “If, as a nation, we do not kill religious persecution and extremism, then religious persecution and extremism will kill Nigeria.”

Identifying impunity as one of the major cause of religious crisis in Nigeria, he said that the implementation of the resolutions of the 2014 National Conference will be the panacea that will prevent ethnic and religious tensions that lead to crises like the recent Southern Kaduna killings.

According to Jonathan, until those behind religious violence and acts of extremism are prosecuted and punished adequately, likeminded individuals and groups would not stop to repeat with impunity the same act.

Citing the case of Kabiru Sokoto, the mastermind of the Christmas Day bombing of Saint Theresa’s Catholic Church in Madalla, Niger State who was arrested, prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned by his administration, he said that has been the only successful prosecution of a terrorist attack on a place of worship in Nigeria’s history.

Read also: Resign for Nigeria to move forward, CAN, PFN tell Buhari

Speaking on the Niger Delta issue, Jonathan argued that the military crackdown in the Niger Delta will not end the agitation there. He said that it will instead have the opposite effect of provoking the youths which will cause them to seek to acquire sophisticated weapons to defend themselves and their communities.

“This may in turn lead to secessionist movements and the reincarnation of the Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro led revolution and the Biafran Civil War. The Federal Government and the international community must work to avoid this,” he cautioned.

Speaking on terrorism in Nigeria, he noted that “Boko Haram Islamic terrorist sect has been classified as the most deadly terror group in the world by the Global Terrorism Index.”

He added, “Herdsmen operating in and around Nigeria are listed as the fourth most deadly terror group. However, I do not intend to discuss global terror because it is a subject well known to all and the U.S. government has been working hard with various governments to address these issues.

“My belief is that the day the U.S. government and the Russian government decide to work together, that will surely mark the beginning of the end of global terror.”

Former President Jonathan concluded by saying, “In my capacity as head of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, I visited former Nigerian leaders to call for unity of purpose to fend off some of these challenges I have listed above”‘ he stated.

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