Abuja Bombings: 'It Is Idiotic To Associate Me' – IBB

Source: OUR REPORTER. - thewillnigeria.com
PHOTO: FORMER MILITARY DICTATOR, GENERAL IBRAHIM BADAMASI BABANGIDA.
PHOTO: FORMER MILITARY DICTATOR, GENERAL IBRAHIM BADAMASI BABANGIDA.


San Francisco, Oct 06, (THEWILL) – Nigeria’s former military ruler and presidential aspirant, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida today said it is ‘idiotic’ to link him to the Independence Day double bomb blasts that struck Abuja a few meters away from a parade at the Eagle Square.


Babangida, who spoke at his Minna, Niger State residence where he received a vehicle donated to his campaign by a diaspora group said: "It will be idiotic for anyone to associate me with anything that will threaten the unity of Nigeria. I fought a war, I know how I fought to make sure Nigeria is one. I cannot do anything to threaten the unity of Nigeria.


He said there was a lapse in the response of security agencies to the blasts but added that he would not trade blames to anyone for allowing the bombs go off.


"Nobody has disputed that government was given notice by the bombers. You don’t need more than 24 hours to remedy it if you are informed and serious. Two days is more than enough for reaction, which is vital to security. I am not blaming anybody but there is a lapse," the former dictator said.


While exonerating the director of his campaign, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi of any complicity in the blasts, IBB said, the politician is being victimized for his role in today’s political dispensation.


Speaking on his curious absence from the parade which had other former heads of state in attendance, Babangida said he stayed away because of the ‘wasteful’ spending expended on the celebration. He said the waste was against his principle adding that funds spent on the celebration could have been chanelled to the provision of infrastructure.


The government has said the blasts were politically motivated and has blamed Mr. Henry Okah, a Nigerian militant group leader resident in South Africa and a political group in Nigeria for the bombings.