Nigeria: Direct Your Protests At Boko Haram, Not At Me, Jonathan Tells #BringBackOurGirls Protesters

President Goodluck Jonathan has asked Nigeria's #BringBackOurGirls campaigners to direct their protests to the extremist Boko Haram sect who abducted the missing over 250 schoolgirls from their dormitories in Chibok, Borno State over a month ago.

Speaking through the Minister of State for the Federal
Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide, Mr. Jonathan told the protesters, who had planned to march on Aso Rock, that their anger should be directed at the terrorists holding the girls and not at the government he leads.

"Government believes that we all must come together to fight terrorism and that protests should be directed at the terrorists who have abducted our innocent daughters and deprived them of a place at the fountain of freedom in our country," Mr. Jonathan said.

The president also warned the protesters against politicizing the Boko Haram insurgency in the government, saying government does not deserve the kind of blame being heaped on it.

Mr. Jonathan said, "We must be careful not to politicize the campaign against terrorism. When a bomb goes off in Kabul, Afghanistan, the people of Afghanistan do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists.

"When a bomb goes off in Baghdad, 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.

"This is the task of this generation. Our daughters must be freed to come home to their parents and loved ones."

Read full statement read to protesters on behalf of President Jonathan by Minister Akinjide on Thursday

Address by The Hon. Minister of State, FCT

On the Occasion of Visit by #Bring Back Our Girls Campaigners

Thursday, 22nd May, 2014

PROTOCOLS

1. Good afternoon, my dear brothers and sisters. As the Minister of State of this great City, Abuja and as a mother like some of you, I, on behalf of Mr. President welcome you all home to the seat of the Federal Government.