President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered security chiefs to hunt down
those who perpetrated the attack on Ukpabu Nimbo community inUzo-Uwani area of Enugu State on Monday.
The President gave the order in his address delivered by the Minister
of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the public
presentation of a book entitled "Who will love my country: Ideas for
building the Nigeria of our dream’’, written by the Deputy Senate
President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in Abuja on Wednesday.
"Before making my remarks about the book, let me use this platform to
condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the attack perpetrated on
the Ukpabu Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani area of Enugu State on Monday.
I deeply sympathise with all those who lost dear ones, as well as
those who lost their properties, in the attack.
"I have directed the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector-General
of Police to secure all communities under attacks by herdsmen, and to
go after all the groups terrorizing innocent people all over the
country. This government will not allow these attacks to continue", he
stated.
President Buhari said in writing the book, the author struck the right
notes when he enjoined leaders to carry out programmes that will
enhance the prosperity, happiness and living conditions of citizens
and stressed the need for change in several areas, including
attitudinal change, especially as it concerns corruption and impunity
and the need for Nigerians to love their country.
"He (Senator Ekweremadu) demonstrated in the book that Nigerians can
only build a Nigeria of their dreams if they make bold efforts to love
her above their individual selves and narrow interests," the President
remarked.
He aligned with the views canvassed by Senator Ekweremadu in the book
and said for his government, those words propounded by the author
amount to preaching to the converted.
"Our mantra is CHANGE, starting with individual attitudinal change.
That explains why this Administration will soon launch a major
campaign, tagged ‘CHANGE BEGINS WITH ME’, aimed at getting Nigerians
to realize that the change they so much desire starts with them. If we
all change our ways for the better, the society itself will change" he
said.
While endorsing the need to secure the social welfare of the people
as encapsulated in the book, the President said it was in line with
this that his administration designed the 2016 budget to bring
millions of Nigerians out of poverty, enhance the living conditions of
the citizens and put smiles on their faces.
"Our 500 billion Naira Social Intervention Fund, which is
unprecedented, will, among others, create jobs for 500,000 unemployed
graduates and 370,000 unemployed non-graduates; provide loans for 1
million Nigerians, including market men and women as well as artisans,
to start up small businesses; feed 4.5 million school children; ensure
conditional cash transfers to the most vulnerable (not unemployed
graduates) citizens and provide scholarships to students studying
science, technology, engineering and mathematics," he said.
President Buhari challenged Nigerians to make bold efforts to love
their country above their individual selves and narrow interests,
saying anyone who puts his or her country over and above other
interests will not engage in unbridled corruption, divert money meant
for public use to private purposes or divert money for the national
treasury into private pockets.
"When we put the public interest above our personal interests, the
society benefits, but when the reverse is the case, the society
suffers," he said.
The President congratulated the author for investing his time and
energy in writing such a relevant and well-written book that inspires
love of country among Nigerians.
Segun Adeyemi
SA to Hon Minister of Information and Culture
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