Tony Osauzo, Benin
Condemnation has trailed the early morning attack on the private residence of former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in Otuoke, Bayelsa State.
Former Chief Whip of the Senate, Roland Owie, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Mike Ozekhome and former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Idada Ikponmwen, condemned the attack.
Ikponmwen said though the attack is condemnable, whatever leadership one occupies there must be those who are in support and those against.
“So there are people who feel that Jonathan did his best when he was president but others believe he didn’t do anything. Everybody is prone to attack and that is why the state takes it upon itself to provide special security for certain category of people who have served the nation to some levels. But you cannot separate our past leaders from the woes bedeviling this country. Any act of criminality is condemnable.
“On a serious thought, I’m inclined to think that this development, coming so soon after the gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa, may be politically motivated. An attack on the fortified residence of a former president can only be executed by a strong group with serious objective to what the man has done or failed to do in recent times. If I were to investigate this kind of incident, I would focus attention on recent events around the former president; only those who felt seriously aggrieved by the former president’s conduct in recent times.
“Only powerful group with deep routed grievances against him would have the capability and determination to carry out such a dastardly attack. An unbiased professional investigation team would unravel this episode. The Rule of Law, not self-help or rule of the sword, should prevail in our country. This development speaks volume of the nature of security in our country today where virtually nobody can sleep with his two eyes closed”, Gen. Ikponmwen said.
Also reacting to the attack, Sen. Owie in a statement said: “The news of the attack on the country home of former president of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has just reached me.
“The word of God says in Proverb 29 v.2. ‘When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice but when the wicked rule the people groan and sigh,’ that is where we find ourselves in Nigeria.
“Dr Goodluck Jonathan is a child of peace and by the grace of God, no weapon fashioned against him and all innocent Nigerians shall prosper in Jesus’ name. Amen.
“I urge all the perpetrators of these crimes in this country to note that the word of God is yes! and amen! And that ‘the soul that sinneth shall die.’ I thank God for saving GEJ and may the souls of the one that lost his life in the incident rest in peace”.
In his comment, Chief Ozekhome said: “This is bringing a new dimension to the insecurity in this country. That the house of a former president could be attacked at about 1.50 am is a very sad and dangerous omen to Nigeria. It shows that we are carrying politics too far and that we are fast losing our humanity. It only shows that the legacy President Goodluck Jonathan laid behind when he said his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian is being rubbished.
“I hereby call on President Muhammadu Buhari, to order all the security agencies in Nigeria to fish out the people who committed this dastardly act as soon as possible otherwise. I feel very sad; I’m very stupefied; I feel very ashamed as a Nigerian.”