Jonathan Says Religious, Ethnic Intolerance Will Divide Nigeria, If...

Kaduna — Religious and ethnic intolerance by Nigerians will divide the country if utmost care is not taken, President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has said.

He said Nigeria has experienced new security challenges that were not envisaged in the recent past, as exemplified by the various terrorist attacks in some parts of the country.

President Jonathan stated this in Kaduna on Friday at the graduation of 158 Nigerian and foreign military officers and some civilians from the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji.

Represented by Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo, the president said, "The greatest danger to our collective security as a people and a nation lies in the peril of ethnic and religious intolerance".

He added that if the twin evils are not checked, they are capable of hacking down the nation's corporate existence as sovereign state.

According to the president, "Within our domestic environment, the challenges of maintaining peace and security remain primarily that of the civil police. "However, the recent security challenges confronting us have made it necessary for the armed forces to play a crucial role."

While commending armed forces for the role they played to safeguard Nigeria, especially in the north-eastern part of the country, Jonathan expressed optimism that with the perseverance, commitment, dedication and loyalty, the graduating officers will contribute their own quota to development of their countries.

On the global scene, President Jonathan reaffirmed Nigerian government's commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security, adding that Nigeria will continue to collaborate with African governments to promote peace, stability and development on the continent.

Earlier in his address, the Commandant of AFCSC, Air Vice Marshal Eko Effiom Osim said the 158 graduating students included 21 allied students from 14 African countries and South Korea.

While conferring the award of Passed Staff Course (psc) on the student officers, the commandant charged them to go back to their various services and countries and be good ambassadors of the college.
BY MARYAM AHMADU-SUKA