We’re Winning War Against Terrorism — Jonathan

President Goodluck Jonathan said, yesterday, that the war against terror can be won and that the government was winning the war.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, in a statement to debunk media reports on the President's speech at a church service on the fight against terror said "the Federal Government, the Armed Forces and national security agencies will continue to build on the successes they have achieved so far against terrorists, insurgents and their sponsors."

Abati said reports in the media suggesting that the President had given up on the fight against terror was a misrepresentation of what the President said at the church service.

He said: "Reports in a section of the media today (yesterday), which quoted President Goodluck Jonathan as saying at a Christmas church service on Wednesday in Abuja that terrorism has come to stay in Nigeria are completely untrue and a mischievous misrepresentation of the President's remarks.

"President Jonathan's verifiable remarks at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp Abuja were to the effect that in comparison with some other countries, which have experienced the scourge of terrorism, Nigeria had made remarkable progress in dealing with the security challenges posed by terrorism and insurgency.

"Headlines such as Terrorism Has Come to Stay and Insurgency Far From Over - Jonathan are, therefore, most incongruous with the thrust of the President's remarks and amount to taking extreme editorial liberties with his comments at the church service.

"While speaking at the Church where he worshipped, with members of his family, his aides and some ministers, President Jonathan only pointed out that whereas terrorism remains a global challenge and a source of continuing concern in some countries, Nigeria had done comparatively better in reducing the incidence of terrorist attacks within its borders to a 'reasonable level'.

"Interpreting those remarks, which are clearly in tandem with facts available to all objective observers of Nigeria's war against terrorism as an expression of defeat or helplessness, amounts to reckless scaremongering which can only serve the purpose of needlessly instigating fear among the populace and bolstering the confidence of criminals and unpatriotic elements."

Via: Vanguard