by ‘Jola Sotubo

The #BringBackOurGirls march on Aso Rock yesterday might not have gone as planned but the people had the ‘benefit’ knowing what the Presidency thought about their demand for the rescue of over 230 students kidnapped on April 14 in Chibok, Borno.

The protesters were addressed by the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory, Olajumoke Akinjide who speak on behalf of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Many believe several statement from the President’s address did not serve the purpose of assuaging the agitations of the protesters choosing instead to absolve itself of any blame.

We bring you the 10 most incredible things contained in the president’s address to the protesters:

1,”…Protests should be directed at the terrorists who have abducted our innocent daughters…”

The Nigerian populace believes that its government has a duty to protect citizens and that is why people are protesting to urge the government to work harder to bring the girls back. The Nigerian government has a duty to the Nigerian people, the terrorists do not.

2, “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.”

Many believe the problem of terrorism in Nigeria reached the present proportions due to its ineffective handling by the government.

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka told CNN that the problem of terrorism “has been festering for years” and that it was handled “very late and very cursorily”. The country’s main opposition party,  the All Progressives Congress has said that the present administration is insincere in its war against terror.

3,  “From the very first day this kidnapping occurred the Federal Government took action, directing our security services to go after the abductors.” 

Most Nigerians believe the government started to take action on the missing girls when protests urging them to do so gained momentum and started receiving international attention.

4,  “It is wrong and most unfair to suggest that there was a slow reaction to this kidnapping.”

The reaction of the government to the Chibok  girls’ kidnapping is believed to be slow because no word has been heard about the exact location of the kidnapped girls. Information on the activities of the military to find and rescue the girls did not surface in the media until almost a month after they were abducted.

5, “We must be careful not to politicize the campaign against terrorism.”

The people who are urging the government to #BringBackOurGirls by protesting are doing so in their right as concerned mothers and citizens and not as politicians.

6, The Federal Government is appreciative and supportive of the efforts of your group amongst so many other groups around the world, who have taken out time to demonstrate their disgust and solidarity against the wicked kidnapping of innocent school girls and the senseless mayhem of the Boko Haram terrorists.

The protests being held around the world are primarily meant to urge the Nigerian government to take action. The Nigerian people are asking the government to do more in their efforts to rescue the missing girls.

7, “The security forces also reached out to the Borno state government and community members for support and collaboration to bring back our innocent daughters.”

The Governor of Borno, Kashim Shettima was criticized by the Presidency for daring to suggest that the war against terrorism was being lost and his wife, Nana was also criticized by the First Lady, Patience Jonathan after she avoided a meeting meant to discuss the circumstances with which the girls were taken a ways to find and rescue them.

8, “President Jonathan at Davos, Switzerland asked the world for help in tackling terrorism. He later met with President Obama during the United Nations General Assembly in September of 2013 where he requested for U.S. support.”

Officials of the United States of America and the United Kingdom have said that they offered to help Nigeria find the missing girls from day one but their offers of assistance were rebuffed.

9, “When terrorists see Nigerians turn on each other in blame it gives them a huge morale boost. We must never lose sight of the fact that terrorists are the real enemy.”

The Presidency believes Nigerians are turning on each other contrary to the view of protesters who are bent on holding the government accountable for its seemingly indecisive attempts at tackling terrorism head on.

10, “Citizens must protect citizens if our civilisation is to prosper.”

The reaction of many to this statement is that it is the duty of the government to protect its citizens and not the duty of citizens to protect each other.

All citizens are obligated to assist the security forces with information at their disposal to tackle the menace of terrorism but the ultimate responsibility lies with the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, President Goodluck Jonathan.