President Goodluck Jonathan has on Saturday formally sympathized with the governments and people of Britain, Italy and the families of the two European citizens, Franco Lamolinara (Italian) and Chris McManus (British), kidnapped and killed by their captors in Sokoto.
The two were executed by their captors in the aftermath of a failed rescue attempt by the Nigerian security forces supported by British Special Forces on Thursday.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati made this known in a statement saying that Presidents Jonathan’s condolence messages were delivered via diplomatic channels in separate letters to the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, and his Italian counterpart, Mario Monti.
“The hearts of the people and government of Nigeria go out to the members of the immediate families of the victims in their moment of grief.” Dr. Abati quoted Jonathan.
President Jonathan also assured the leaders of the two European nations that the Nigerian government remained firmly committed to tackling the challenge of terrorism in Nigeria and in the international community.
“We join forces with the rest of the world in frontally confronting the menace of terrorism in all ramifications. The special relations and strong ties that exist among the three nations can only grow deeper and stronger.” Jonathan said.
He described the support the Nigerian government had enjoyed from both prime ministers in the fight against terrorism in the country as invaluable.
Meanwhile, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin stated in Abidjan on Saturday that the days of Boko Haram were numbered as security forces were decimating their network.
We Nigerian’s are sorry just as our goodluck has said