Against the backdrop of the destructive activities of resurgent Niger Delta militants, President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated that the unity of the country is not negotiable. This was as he warned looters of the public treasury to return such funds as a condition for their personal peace.
Speaking on Wednesday while receiving a cross section of Nigerians most whom were Muslims who were in his residence at the presidential villa to pay him sallah homage, Buhari recalled the famous quotes of former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) that the task of keeping Nigeria as one indivisible entity was a task that must be done.
His words: “We have to concentrate on the militants to try to know how many of them in terms of groupings, try to get in touch with their leadership, to try to persuade them to please give Nigeria a chance.
“I assure them that when we were very junior officers, we were told by our leaders, by the Head of State which was Gen. Gowon that to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done…we never thought of oil. What we were after is one Nigeria. Please, pass the message to the militants that one Nigeria is not negotiable. And I pray they better accept it. The constitution is very clear…I assure them there would justice.
“And please persuade those who have plenty of money that does not belong to them to try and negotiate, return it in peace so that both them and us will be in peace otherwise we will continue to request.”
