Remarks by Nigeria's President, Goodluck Jonathan assuring Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, and the citizens that the Nigerian Government would help prevent a recurrence of Saturday's terrorist attack have sparked public outrage.Members of the Al-Shabaab militant group had, on Saturday, laid siege to Westgate Mall, an upscale shopping centre in Nairobi, popular with Kenyan elite and foreigners, killing 68 people, and injuring many others.
A standoff had ensued between the Kenyan
security forces and the attackers, who were reported to be heavily armed
and holding an unknown number of hostages in the mall.
While
commiserating with the Kenyan government, Jonathan said in a statement
by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, that
“the Federal Government will give all possible support and assistance to
Kenya in its efforts to contain the scourge of terrorism and avoid a
recurrence of Saturday’s heinous attack in Nairobi.”
But
many Nigerians are calling on him to “mind his business” and preoccupy
his government with putting an end to the extremism and security
challenges posed by Boko Haram in his backyard, before offering to help
contain and defeat terrorism abroad.
A cross
section of Nigerians who criticised the President quoted the popular
saying that “charity begins at home.” They asked Jonathan not to
contemplate sending soldiers abroad; with many arguing that it will
amount to a misplacement of priority.
A Facebook user,
Oludare Olufote, urged the Kenyan government to reject Jonathan’s offer
of assistance, saying he was only trying to depict himself as a true
African leader.
“Candid advice to
Kenya: Combat terrorism with your efforts, combined with other strong
nations, not Nigeria. Our President is only trying to make himself a
true African leader, which he is. But the question is, what will become
the story of a man whose house is in a shambles and looks into putting
orderliness in a neighbour’s house?” Olufote argues.
Solomon
Idoko describes Jonathan’s statement as an absurdity. “Absurdity or
what? Anti-terrorism assistance to Kenya! Jonathan can see the speck in
his brother’s eye, but he is unable to notice the log in his own eye. I
think we should start praying for the leadership of this nation,” Idoko
wrote on Facebook.
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