Jonathan: Insecurity During My Tenure Gave Me Sleepless Nights

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

Eight years after leaving office, former President Goodluck Jonathan has revealed that he lost sleep over the insecurity that pervaded the country during his tenure.

Jonathan disclosed this in Jalingo, yesterday,  during the inauguration of projects executed by the Ishaku administration including a 22km dual carriage road with flyover and pedestrian bridges.

The former President, who received a thunderous ovation from the mammoth crowd, hailed the people of the state for embracing peace and living in harmony among themselves.

According to him, “When I was the president of Nigeria, the insecurity of the nation did give me sleepless nights. Sometimes even while I am in the church, my ADC will bring a phone to show me how people are being murdered or kidnapped, and that gave me serious headache.

“As I came into the Jalingo airport, I saw the Director of DSS and I quickly asked him ‘how is Taraba State security wise?’ and he told me ‘Taraba is relatively peaceful.’”

Thanking the people of the state for choosing to live in peace, he stated, “I believe insecurity is the handiwork of the citizens and the people of Taraba have chosen to live peacefully and you are enjoying it. It is not the business of the federal or state governments alone.”

He commended Craneburg Construction Company that handled the road project for delivering a very quality and durable job that would stand the test of time.

In his welcome address, Governor Darius Ishaku noted that the construction of the dual carriage road was part of the priority of his administration, just as he expressed gratitude to God for giving him the grace to complete and inaugurate the project before the end of his administration.

Besides the dual carriage road, other projects inaugurated by the former President are the Jalingo Trucks Park and a 5m litre water reservoir.