Jonathan bemoans rising banditry, seeks continued prayers for Nigeria 

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has lamented the increasing spate of kidnapping and armed robbery and expressed hope that with constant prayers from the Church and Nigerians, the country will overcome the myriads of challenges confronting it. 

Speaking yesterday at the Third Session of the 10th Synod of Abuja Diocese of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), said although we have been passing through challenges as a nation, the issues of kidnapping and armed robbery are on the increase now that another party is in power, as it is becoming a nightmare travelling from Abuja to Kaduna.

Jonathan, who insisted that the little success his administration recorded was as a result of prayers from Nigerians, commended the Church for its persistent prayers for his government and the nation while he was in office.

“I have been running away from addresses so that people will not have so much to say or write about me. I have to thank the Primate, there were times I was not there and people concocted stories about me, but he used to challenge them.

“In Nigeria, we easily get carried away with figures and it is sad that we go too low to tell lies against people,” he said.

In his charge, Primate of the Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh lamented that there has been renewed rampage of killer herdsmen, as well as kidnappings and banditry across the country, adding that the situation is now mire worrisome than ever. 

He charged the Federal Government to wake up to its foremost responsibility of security of lives and property of Nigerians. 

“If the lives of Nigerians cannot be made better, why should they be cut down recklessly? There is no way people will be happy with so much turmoil in the country.

“Nigerians have passed their elastic limits hoping for a better country. We need peace, fairness and justice to sustain the unity of the nation and prosperity for all,” he said.

He, however, commended the government approving N30, 000 minimum wage for Nigerian workers and appealed to government to put machinery in motion to ensure speedy implementation of the minimum wage without forgetting pensioners in the process. 

Okoh also urged government at all levels to work harder at improving the economy to create employment opportunities for the teeming youths, adding that a situation where millions of graduates scramble for every employment opportunity was unhealthy.