Presidential Media Chat: I don’t know whether Boko Haram leader is really dead or alive - Jonathan

Speaking on a nationwide radio/television programme Presidential media chat, which was monitored by NigerianEYE, President Jonathan revealed that just like majority of Nigerians who are puzzled by the validity of the death of Boko Haram leader, Shekau, as president, he does not know whether he is dead or alive. 

 BOKO HARAM

In his words, 'I do not know whether he is dead or alive I don’t want to speculate', Jonathan said in response to a question on whether Boko Haram leader, Shekau, is dead

President Goodluck Jonathan also said the activities of the Boko Haram sect which has devastated especially the north eastern part of the country is not because of him but is part of international global terrorist network.

Speaking on a nationwide radio/television programme Presidential media chat, President Jonathan also insisted that the House in Apo where some persons were killed by security forces had elements of Boko Haram adding that though innocent persons may have died in the exchange between security forces and the terrorists, it does not mean that innocent persons were deliberately targeted

“Boko Haram has been there even before I became the president. When the bombed the United |Nations and the barrack in Abuja, we did not have the capacity to tackle them.

People talk about Boko Haram as if Jonathan is the cause of Boko Haram. Yet it has been there and it was even in 2009 that Yusuf (Boko Haram Leader) was killed.

But with time, we have built the capacity of the security services and we have made tremendous progress. I am not God so I cannot be everywhere.

What I can promise Nigerians is that within the limit of our ability, we will ensure that we will try our best to ensure that we check the activities of these people and put an end to their activities” he said.

He said though the security services are doing their best to check the activities of the Boko Haram sect, the terrorists are always evolving ways in collaboration with international terrorist organizations to undermine the activities of the security agencies.

Speaking on the recent killings in Apo, President Jonathan said ‘though innocent persons may have died, there were confessions from arrested Boko Haram operatives that there were arms in that building. Where there is a confrontation between security operatives and criminals, innocent persons sometimes fall victims. But definitely, there were Boko Haram elements in that building.

The Boko Haram has links with their network with AlQaeda and other terrorist organizations. Some of the people that were arrested confessed and they were leading them to where they said arms were kept and there was an exchange of gunfire.

In the process some people were arrested some died. I cannot say clearly that all those who died were members of Boko Haram but definitely there were Boko Haram elements there” he said.

CORRUPTION

 Jonathan also said his administration was working with the legislature, judiciary etc to fight corruption. When asked about why people who stole a lot of money were given V.I.P treatment, he responded, “As a president you cannot gag the judiciary,.. you must allow the judiciary to be independent,”

 We are winning the war on corruption, Jonathan says on the fight against corruption. He says fertilizer scam and the corruption in the oil sector is being tackled

 Also on corruption, Jonathan says perception is different from reality. “Everyone talks as if corruption is our number one problem. But corruption is not Nigeria’s biggest problem. The key thing is access to finance, infrastructure

 COST OF GOVERNANCE

 The problem with government is not the number of special assistants and senior special assistants we have. ”If you are a minister, you need people that are competent to help you,”

 People complain about political appointees as if that’s the problem. If you want to run government as you run a modern business, you will even have more problems, Jonathan says in response to a question on the size and cost of governance.

2015?

 Jonathan evasive on whether he will run in 2015 or not. “If you declare too early, you will destabilise government, the electoral law gives a timeframe within which you can declare.”

“They should show you the agreement. I only talked about single term arrangement for our country not that Jonathan will serve for a single term.”

ASUU STRIKE

Jonathan alleged that politics has crept into ASUU’s strike and demands.

We can’t change the problems in the university overnight. We are using funds from other agencies to intervene in the problems in the tertiary institutions. Government is taking inventories in the universities, photographs and video clips. He said his administration was the first to do that.

 The president also said there are certain things in the 2009 agreement with ASUU that are difficult to implement. “This particular issue is beyond the 2009 agreement.”

ASUU should consider the sincerity in government and realise his government is not ready to close down other departments of government in other to solve the problems overnight.

Jonathan alleged that some of the government officials that negotiated 2009 agreement with ASUU were not competent and asks for a holistic resolution of the problem in the universities.

The President also said he does not control the resources of the states and wondered why lecturers in state universities are on strike over a matter that has to do with the centre.


President Jonathan was interviewed by Nosa Igiebor (TELL), Shola Oshunkeye (SUN), Shehu Dauda (CAPITAL POST), Senami Ohiomokhare (AIT), Gloria Ume-Ezeoke (CHANNELS) on sunday evening and the interview was aired LIVE on major T.v and radio stations in Nigeria.