President Goodluck Jonathan has observed that the nation’s security apparatus would have remained obsolete while its security agents idle if not for the activities of the dreaded Boko Haram sect.
Thousands of people including security officers had been killed since 2009 when the activities of the sect started. Religious places, government buildings and other public places are often target of the sect.
The president, who made the remarks at the Pre – centenary National Praise and Thanksgiving Service at the State House Banquet Hall, therefore thanked God that the Boko Haram phenomenon is a local security threat, adding that if it had been external, it would have been more embarrassing.
Jonathan said further that the Boko Haram insurgency had compelled the government to boost the capacity and infrastructure of the security agencies while enhancing the skills and training of security agents.
According to the president, all the security agencies in the country were idling away and doing nothing prior to the advent of the sect.
He however noted that despite the challenges the country is facing, it will move forward with the continued prayers and support of Nigerians.
He said: “With your prayer and continued support, Nigeria will continue to move forward.
“We are now building capacity in terms of training and security architecture to contain security threat because we were challenged by Boko Haram.
“Before the advent of Boko Haram, our security infrastructure was very poor, our security people, army, navy, airforce, police were all doing nothing. We were challenged by Boko Haram to improve.
“Every day, security chiefs now think of how to continue to improve on capacity building. Maybe God has a reason to use ourselves to challenge ourselves.
“These challenges are coming from within. If they were coming from outside, we would have been embarrassed. God wants us to learn in a detailed way. With our collective prayers and efforts, we shall surely get to where we will get to,” the President said.
