Killing Buhari, Bauchi Would Have Set Nigeria on Fire – Presidency

The Presidency yesterday expressed thanks to God that the perpetrators of Wednesday’s twin bomb blasts targeted at both the former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari and an Islamic cleric, Sheik Dahiru Bauchi in Kaduna State, did not achieve their evil motives of killing the two prominent Nigerians, saying that the country would have been set on fire if they had succeeded.

The Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Political Matters, Professor Rufai Ahmed Alkali, made this known in Abuja.

Gen Buhari, a leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, and Sheik Bauchi survived the bomb explosions which led to the untimely death of over 82 innocent Nigerians.

Buhari was on his way to his hometown, Daura, Katsina State when his convoy was attacked at the ever- busy- Kaduna Kawo Motor Park, while Sheik Bauchi was attacked along the Alkali/ Isa Kaita Road, near the Murtala Muhammed Square where he delivered a Ramadan Tatsir Sermon to thousands of the Tijaniyya sect members. The two separate attacks were believed to have been carried out by the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

However, distancing the presidency from the two ugly events, allegedly insinuated by some members of the APC, Alkali said it was wrong to politicise security issues in a bid to score cheap political points.

Speaking during his first official working visit to the secretariat of the Goodluck Support Group, GSG, Alkali said, “I want to express my sincere concern over what happened to our former Head of state, General Muhammadu Buhari. You all recall that two or three days ago, there was an attempted attack on his life and another senior citizen, Sheik Dahiru Bauchi, both in Kaduna.

“It is by the grace of God that today the lives of these two senior citizens were spared. We want to thank God for saving them and for saving this country from the trauma of what could have happened if the people behind it had achieved their objective.

“I want to also state that in seasons like this, the usual thing is what has become the popular culture of blame game. I do not think anybody in this country would be associated with this type of thing in any way or form.

’’Therefore, those who want to trivialize these issues personalize them or attribute it to this government or the leadership of this government in any form, directly or indirectly, should desist from that.

“This government is committed to the security of this nation, it is committed to lasting peace in this country and Mr. President is deeply committed to bringing stability in our political environment.

“We should not over dramatize these issues. All of us must come together, we have collective responsibility to protect and defend our country. This is not a time for politicizing issues. Security matters are not for politicians. There are people who have been trained and who are responsible for security. We cannot do their job for them; they should be allowed to do their job.

“We should also desist from any attempt that will weaken the institutions of government, especially security agencies who are doing very well in containing the situation.”