President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday warned militants in the Niger Delta region calling for the emancipation of the region to desist, stressing that the country’s unity is not negotiable.
Speaking when he received some Muslim faithful at the Presidential Villa Abuja, the President recalled the famous quotes of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon saying, the task of keeping Nigeria as one indivisible entity was a task that must be done by everyone.
The President also used the opportunity to admonish those who had in time past looted public funds to return their loots because he will not stop the anti-graft war.
Buhari said, “We have to concentrate on the militants to try to know how many of them in terms of groupings, try to get in touch with their leadership, to try to persuade them to please give Nigeria a chance.
“I assure them that when we were very junior officers, we were told by our leaders, by the Head of State which was Gen. Gowon that to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done. We never thought of oil. What we were after is one Nigeria. Please, pass the message to the militants that one Nigeria is not negotiable. And I pray they better accept it. The constitution is very clear…I assure them there would be justice.
“And please persuade those who have plenty of money that does not belong to them to try and negotiate, return it in peace so that both them and us will be in peace, otherwise we will continue to request.”
