President Muhammadu Buhari addressed Nigerians on Monday morning, two days after he returned from London.
The president had been away for medical treatment for 103 days.
Read the text of the president’s full speech below.
My
dear citizens, I am very grateful to God and to all Nigerians for their
prayers. I am pleased to be back on home soil among my brothers and
sisters.
2. In the course of my stay in the
United Kingdom, I have been kept in daily touch with events at home.
Nigerians are robust and lively in discussing their affairs, but I was
distressed to notice that some of the comments, especially in the social
media have crossed our national red lines by daring to question our
collective existence as a nation. This is a step too far.
3.
In 2003 after I joined partisan politics, the late Chief Emeka Ojukwu
came and stayed as my guest in my hometown Daura. Over two days we
discussed in great depth till late into the night and analysed the
problems of Nigeria. We both came to the conclusion that the country
must remain one and united.
4. Nigeria’s unity
is settled and not negotiable. We shall not allow irresponsible elements
to start trouble and when things get bad they run away and saddle
others with the responsibility of bringing back order, if necessary with
their blood.
5. Every Nigerian has the right to live and pursue his business anywhere in Nigeria without let or hindrance.
6. I believe the very vast majority of Nigerians share this view.
7.
This is not to deny that there are legitimate concerns. Every group has
a grievance. But the beauty and attraction of a federation is that it
allows different groups to air their grievances and work out a mode of
co-existence.
8. The National Assembly and the National Council of State are the legitimate and appropriate bodies for national discourse.
9. The national consensus is that, it is better to live together than to live apart.
10. Furthermore, I am charging the Security Agencies not to let the successes achieved in the last 18 months be a sign to relax.
11. Terrorists and criminals must be fought and destroyed relentlessly so that the majority of us can live in peace and safety.
12.
Therefore we are going to reinforce and reinvigorate the fight not only
against; elements of Boko Haram which are attempting a new series of
attacks on soft targets · kidnappings, farmers versus herdsmen clashes,
in addition to ethnic violence fuelled by political mischief makers. We
shall tackle them all.
13. Finally, dear
Nigerians, our collective interest now is to eschew petty differences
and come together to face common challenges of; economic security,
political evolution and Integration, as well as lasting peace among all
Nigerians.
14. I remain resolutely committed to ensuring that these goals are achieved and maintained. I am so glad to be home.
15. Thank you and may God bless our dear Nation.
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