President Goodluck Jonathan has said he is saddened by the inability of the over 200 abducted Chibok girls to celebrate Christmas with their loved ones.
Describing the Chibok girls as our “beloved daughters,” Jonathan said their continued incarceration was “painful.”
“It is painful to see many of our citizens, especially our beloved daughters from Chibok and many others, maimed, killed or displaced by the wicked acts of terrorism.
“Many of our people in parts of the North-East are not in a position to celebrate Christmas for no fault of theirs,” the President said on Facebook.
He listed the dividends of democracy his administration bequeathed to Nigerians in 2014 as the successful fight against the Ebola Virus Disease; the rebasing of the country’s Gross Domestic Product which saw the Nigerian economy become the largest economy on the continent; as well as the convening of the 2014 National Conference.
Noting that the terrorist activities of the Boko Haram insurgent group came amid the successes recorded by his administration in the course of the outgoing year, Jonathan pledged its resolve to bring the perpetrators of the “heinous crime” to book.
“As we mark the birth of Jesus Christ, I want to wish you all my friends on Facebook a very Merry Christmas and a greater more peaceful year ahead. In this season of goodwill, Nigeria and Nigerians have a lot to be grateful to God for, as we celebrate the Yuletide. But can we really count our blessings?
“Let me assure parents, relatives, friends, family and, indeed, all Nigerians that we will not spare any effort or resource in bringing to justice the perpetrators of these heinous crimes against humanity.
