President Goodluck Jonathan on
Thursday commiserated with
President Francois Hollande and
the people of France as they mourn
the victims of Wednesday’s
terrorist attack.
Jonathan, in a statement by his
Special Adviser on Media and
Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati,
described the attack as “senseless
and unjustifiable” and “an assault
on freedom of expression.”
The statement read in part,
“President Jonathan and Nigeria
join the rest of the civilised world
in condemning the heinous,
senseless and totally unjustifiable
killing of journalists and other
persons during the attack on the
satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo.
“The President believes that the
cowardly and ignoble attack by
violent extremists is a monstrous
assault on the right to freedom of
expression.
“President Jonathan also sees the
attack on Charlie Hebdo as another
manifestation of the depravity and
brutality which the world has to
contend with in what must become
a truly collective effort by lovers of
peace, progress and freedom across
the globe to rout the agents of
darkness and retrogression.”
“The President assures President
Hollande and the people of France
that Nigeria stands in full solidarity
with them on this day of national
mourning for those who lost their
lives at the hands of terrorists in
Paris yesterday.”
He noted that France had been a
strong ally and dependable partner
in strengthening regional
cooperation in the fight against
terrorism in Nigeria, West Africa and
Africa as a whole.
The President also pledged that his
administration would continue to
work with the French government
and other friendly governments
across the globe to end the scourge
of terrorism.
He urged media practitioners
worldwide not to be discouraged
or disheartened by the brutal
murder of their colleagues in Paris,
“but to remain strong and fearless
in pursuit of truth and the defence
of human rights and freedom of
expression.”
by ROTMANLUV 2023-07-08, 17:34
