Babangida Condemns Borno Killings

Former President Ibrahim Babangida has condemned the “spate of politically-motivated killings and  assassinations in the country.”

Babangida made the condemnation in a statement signed by his media spokesperson, Mr. Kassim  Afegbua, in Abuja on Sunday.

He condoled with the people and government of Borno over the Friday killing of the ANPP  Gubernatorial candidate, Alhaji Modu Fantami and six other persons.

He said “the spate of politically-motivated killings and assassinations in the country has assumed  a frightening dimension and must be arrested forthwith.’’

Babangida, who was a PDP presidential aspirant, stressed that the killings must be stopped “if we  are truly desirous of building a solid foundation for democracy to thrive.

“The practice of democracy guarantees the right of the individual to express his opinion based on  his ideological persuasion without coercion and intimidation.

“The principle of democracy encourages mass participation by the citizens to elect leaders of their  choice at the various levels of governance, but the manifest cases of assassinations and wanton  killings in the country negate that principle.’’

He, therefore, called for a more pro-active approach by government and the people to arrest this  dangerous trend.

Babangida stated that “the growing insensitivity and intolerance by Nigerians is fast becoming a  novel or strange idea on account of our communalism and sense of brotherliness and good  neighbourliness.

“As Nigerians, we must continue to reflect on our sense of history, where we are coming from and  how far we have travelled the route of nationhood in our everyday indulgences.

“We must not be seen to be fanning disunity, as it will provoke crisis that have the capacity to  undermine the sovereignty of the country.’’