I had series of consultation and engagement with leaders of thoughts from the Northern Stated of Nigeria.
I am having one with you.
I will meet with Religious and Traditional leaders from SE and North.
Finally, I will meet with all the Governors.
These meetings are important because of the recent events in our country which most of us have followed quite closely.
There have been loud and sometimes hostile agitations by young people from South East calling for secession from Nigeria.
And recent ultimatum issued by a group of young people from the North asking the South East people in the North to leave the region by October 1st this year.
All these agitation have been controversial with hateful approach.
As government, to deal with then, we need consultations with various groups. And as leaders, we cannot shy away from the responsibility to ensure and uphold peace and security in our country.
Being privileged as leaders, we should chart progressive and lofty courses for our people; to carry the burden to secure peace, progress and prosperity of our people.
Our nation has gone through many difficult times, survived bloody coups, rounds of ethno-religious violence and emerged from a long and bloody Civil War. Even the brutal insurgency that had consumed more than 20,000 lives in the North East.
Violence and war are not good. They are easy to start but near impossible to end.
Contemporary history shows that wars today hardly ever end. Wars sometimes start, not with bullets, but with words; hateful, incendiary speech, opening floodgates of blood.
Thus, we should not tolerate or excuse or justify hate speech or hateful conduct of any kind especially where such is illegal.
A healthy democracy ought to be a theatre of energetic striving by all parties and stakeholders but things should not descend to a level where mutual suspicions override the desire to live together in peace and harmony.
Hate or devisive speech or behaviour where it is illegal, will be met with the full force of the law. We will take seriously any attempts to cause violence or to disrupt the peace of Nigeria and it will certainly not be tolerated.
We are resolved as government to protect every Nigerian, everywhere in the country. We will do everything within our power to defend and uphold our constitution, which declares that we are one Nation under God; that guarantees the free mobility of people, goods and services.
As a responsible government, we will create conditions for the attainment of these ideas.
I expect that our consultations today will be frank and constructive, open and will ensure that our country is a better place, a more peaceful place to live in.
God bless Nigeria.
I am having one with you.
I will meet with Religious and Traditional leaders from SE and North.
Finally, I will meet with all the Governors.
These meetings are important because of the recent events in our country which most of us have followed quite closely.
There have been loud and sometimes hostile agitations by young people from South East calling for secession from Nigeria.
And recent ultimatum issued by a group of young people from the North asking the South East people in the North to leave the region by October 1st this year.
All these agitation have been controversial with hateful approach.
As government, to deal with then, we need consultations with various groups. And as leaders, we cannot shy away from the responsibility to ensure and uphold peace and security in our country.
Being privileged as leaders, we should chart progressive and lofty courses for our people; to carry the burden to secure peace, progress and prosperity of our people.
Our nation has gone through many difficult times, survived bloody coups, rounds of ethno-religious violence and emerged from a long and bloody Civil War. Even the brutal insurgency that had consumed more than 20,000 lives in the North East.
Violence and war are not good. They are easy to start but near impossible to end.
Contemporary history shows that wars today hardly ever end. Wars sometimes start, not with bullets, but with words; hateful, incendiary speech, opening floodgates of blood.
Thus, we should not tolerate or excuse or justify hate speech or hateful conduct of any kind especially where such is illegal.
A healthy democracy ought to be a theatre of energetic striving by all parties and stakeholders but things should not descend to a level where mutual suspicions override the desire to live together in peace and harmony.
Hate or devisive speech or behaviour where it is illegal, will be met with the full force of the law. We will take seriously any attempts to cause violence or to disrupt the peace of Nigeria and it will certainly not be tolerated.
We are resolved as government to protect every Nigerian, everywhere in the country. We will do everything within our power to defend and uphold our constitution, which declares that we are one Nation under God; that guarantees the free mobility of people, goods and services.
As a responsible government, we will create conditions for the attainment of these ideas.
I expect that our consultations today will be frank and constructive, open and will ensure that our country is a better place, a more peaceful place to live in.
God bless Nigeria.
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