Leadership (Abuja)

Nigeria: Jonathan Promises Nigerians in Bakassi of FG Support, Safety

Photo: Thisday
Bakassi indegenes in protest

President Goodluck Jonathan has assured Nigerians living in the Bakassi Peninsula of his administration's continuous care, concern and support for their safety and well-being.

This is contained in a statement issued in Yaounde by Dr Reuben Abati, the Presidential spokesperson, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

Jonathan gave the assurance at a meeting with the Nigerian Community in Cameroon and dispelled fears that the Federal Government had abandoned Nigerians who remained in the peninsula.

The president assured that even after the transfer of the oil-rich peninsula to Cameroon, government would not allow the Nigerians to be victimised or maltreated.

"The improvement in bilateral relations between the Nigerian and Cameroonian governments after the judgment of the International Court of Justice on the Bakassi dispute should have a positive impact on relations between citizens of both countries.

"When countries disagree, their citizens also tend to disagree, but when they are friends, their citizens also follow the same path," the president said.

Responding to other issues raised at the meeting, Jonathan said there were significant improvements in growth indicators such as, a drop to single digit inflation, stable exchange rates and steady GDP growth.

He said the improvements were achieved through his administration's hard work and commitment to change.

Jonathan also said that his administration was doing everything possible to rapidly improve the power supply situation in Nigeria.

The president cited the recent ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of a new power plant at Zinger as an example of such ongoing efforts.

He praised officers and men of the Nigerian armed forces and other security agencies for the effectiveness of the ongoing operations to restore normalcy to the three states affected by emergency rule.

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