Date Published: 12/28/09

NIGERIA DEMOCRATIC LIBERTY FORUM (NDLF)

Press release;

A SAD DAY FOR NIGERIA.

December 26th 2009; New York, NY ; I t is another sad day for Nigeria to have one of her citizens involve in a terrorist activity. This is an uncharted territory for us not minding the fact that we have been mentioned in shameful deeds like fraud and corruption but the NDLF can say that Nigerians across the globe are truly saddened. We strongly condemn in unequivocal terms the attempt by this individual to  blow up a passenger airliner carrying almost 300 passengers! This act should be thoroughly investigated and be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It is indefensible to attempt such a heinous and vicious act under any religious, political ideology or justification.

This incident is also symptomatic of an ignored problem in Nigeria where some religious bigots have over the years embarked on killing spree with the government unable to tackle the issue. Going by available reports, the identified 23 years old terrorism suspect is a UK graduate and a son of a wealthy Nigerian who apparently had been brainwashed by religious extremists. One can imagine the danger posed by millions of neglected, unemployed, impressionable Nigerians that the Nigerian system has failed and could be target for terrorism recruits. We hope that this unfortunate incident would be a wake up call for the Nigerian government to appreciate the grave consequences and the ramification of this reprehensible act. A nation whose leader has been in a foreign hospital for about 5 weeks with no word on his state of health, possible date of return and unwillingness to resign or handover to his deputy thus creating a vacuum in leadership might just be unable to approach this issue with all seriousness and finesse that it requires so that all her citizens are not branded as terrorists.

The NDLF hereby call on President Umaru Yar'Adua to either resign immediately or formally handover to his deputy so that someone can provide direction and leadership to a nation that is clearly on a precipice and brought to ridicule by the act of a son of an elite in Nigeria. Apparently, destroying the educational system in Nigeria, depriving the youths and the citizenry of a quality life while the Nigerian elites have their children in western countries far from adequate parental control is a frankenstein monster that has brought shame to every Nigerian.

Members of the political class, civil society, labor and professional organizations should put pressure on President Yar'Adua to act patriotically to end the current siege in Nigeria. To millions of Nigerians in the Diaspora, who are hard working and law abiding we implore them to continue to be good ambassadors of Nigeria and ensure that we charge those who are poised to continue to drag our reputation in the mud to desist from such acts that bring disrepute and opprobrium to us all. 

Signed

Bukola Oreofe

Executive Director

Dr. Willie Nwiido

Director, International relations