The Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the February 23 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the killing of foreigners and the state of insecurity in the country.
The former Nigerian Vice President made the disclosure in a statement which he personally signed, on Monday morning.
The statement reads in full:
We need to keep Nigeria safe for Nigerians and foreigners.
The death of any Nigerian or Foreigner from terror, crime, or
insecurity, grieves my heart.
Nobody’s life is worth taking to advance a religious,
political, or criminal cause. I condemn the killing of British Aid
Worker, Faye Mooney, and her Nigerian colleague, Mathew Oguche. I
condemn these recent killings in the strongest possible terms, and I
want the government and people of the United Kingdom to know that these
atrocious actions do not reflect Nigeria’s national character.
These killings must end, or Nigeria will lose desperately needed friends, partners, and investors.
Not only do I condemn this recent killing, but I make an
urgent call for the Federal and State Authorities, to track down the
culprits and make them pay for their crimes. The time for empty rhetoric
is long gone. Now is the time for urgent national action to stem
insecurity.
Nigeria must once again become synonymous with peace,
progress, and prosperity. This can only happen when crime and punishment
are a natural cause and effect.
As long as there is impunity, our nation will lack unity and
security. Impunity must end and must end today. These crimes continue to
reoccur, because previous killings have not been met with justice.
When the punishment for crimes are not forthcoming, criminals are emboldened to commit even worse crimes.
Recall, that the 29-year-old British aid worker was killed by
kidnappers along with Mathew Oguche during last Friday evening’s attack
on Kajuru Castle in which three other people were abducted, The Guardian reports.
Mercy Corps, the non-governmental aid agency Mooney worked for, paid tribute to her.
“Faye was a dedicated, passionate communication and learning
specialist,” said chief executive Neal Keny-Guyer in a statement posted
on social media, adding that colleagues were “utterly heartbroken”.
Mooney had “worked with Mercy Corps for almost two years.
Her family, in an interview with The Guardian (UK), said she was a
bright and intelligent woman with a “deep love for life and people” who
had never been happier.
“She was on holiday with her boyfriend Matthew Oguche,” they said.
“Faye was an inspiration to her family, friends, students and work
colleagues. Her bravery and her belief in a better society took her to
places others feared. Faye did what she wanted; nothing held her back.
“Permanently against the grain, Faye was unconventional to the core.
Her family and friends are so proud of who she was and of everything she
achieved in her short but purposeful life. Her memory will always be
cherished.”
Kaduna state police said the kidnappers attacked the resort with guns.
“Some suspected kidnappers armed with dangerous weapons gained entry
into a recreational resort called Kajuru Castle, shooting sporadically
and in the process shot dead two persons, including an expatriate lady,
and took away three others,” a Kaduna state police spokesman said,
without naming the other person killed.
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