President Goodluck Jonathan said strategy put in place by security forces succeeded in checking the rate of attacks planned by the Boko Haram sect during Christmas celebrations.
Speaking when he attended Sunday Service at the Eklisiyar Yan'uwa a Nijeriya (EYN) Church, Utako, Abuja yesterday, Jonathan said Boko Haram planned to carry out several deadly attacks on Christmas day but was contained by security forces.
According to him, "the Boko Haram planned to carry out a lot of attacks on Christmas day, but we suppressed their plans during the Christmas, because the extent of their plans was not executed because of the strategies put in place by the security agencies to abort their plans. Although, we still recorded some incidences but the extent of attacks which they planned was not allowed to be executed."
The president expressed his administration's commitment to deal with increasing spate of insecurity in the country, saying government is determined to end the activities of the Boko Haram.
"Boko Haram will not push us backwards. If their plan is to stop government from providing dividend of democracy, they would not succeed because 2013 will be a good year for Nigerians and Nigeria. With your persistent prayer we shall defeat them."
President Jonathan said activities of the Boko Haram runs contrary to teachings of the two main religions in the country saying "Christianity and Islam are religions of peace and tolerance that forbid killings and blood-letting."
While speaking, Pastor of the Church, Rev. Daniel Mbaya, thanked Jonathan for emerging as the first sitting President to worship at any branch of EYN Church in the country.
Jonathan was accompanied to the service by his mother, Mrs Ayi, his Chief of Staff, Mike Oghiadome, Senator Philip Aduda and several other presidential aides.
