"Federal Govt is winning war against terrorism" - President Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday said the war against terrorism in parts of the country was being won by his administration.

Jonathan said this in a statement made available to journalists by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

He was reacting to media reports which quoted him at a Christmas service in Abuja on Wednesday as saying that terrorism had come to stay in the country.

He said the reports which came under headlines such as “Terrorism Has Come to Stay” and “Insurgency Far From Over – Jonathan,” were completely untrue and mischievous misrepresentation of the President’s remarks at the service.

“The war against terrorism is very winnable and President Jonathan’s administration is steadily winning it in Nigeria. The Federal Government, the Nigerian Armed Forces and the national security agencies will continue to build on the successes they have achieved so far against terrorists, insurgents and their sponsors,” the statement reads.

Jonathan said his verifiable remarks at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp, Abuja, were to the effect that in comparison with some other countries which have experienced the scourge of terrorism, Nigeria was making remarkable progress in dealing with the security challenges posed by terrorism and insurgency.

He said media reports quoting him as saying terrorism had come to stay were incongruous with the thrust of his remarks and amounted to taking extreme editorial liberties with his comments at the church service.

The statement reads, “It is apparent that in their indecent haste to cast the most sensational and negative headlines, some editors never paused to consider that it would have been most absurd for a President whose administration has done so much to reverse the tide of terrorism, to publicly assert the contrary.

“While speaking at the church where he worshipped, along with members of his family, his aides and some ministers, President Jonathan only pointed out that whereas terrorism remains a global challenge and a source of continuing concern in some countries, Nigeria has done comparatively better in reducing the incidence of terrorist attacks within its borders to a ‘reasonable level.’

“Interpreting those remarks, which are clearly in tandem with facts available to all objective observers of Nigeria’s war against terrorism, as an expression of defeat or helplessness, amounts to reckless scaremongering which can only serve the purpose of needlessly instigating fear among the populace and bolstering the confidence of criminal and unpatriotic elements.

“Once again, we urge the media to eschew undue negativity and join hands with the government to patriotically promote peace, national security and political stability.”

Credit: Olalekan Adetayo/Punch