President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday addressed Nigerians as the country marks Democracy day on June 12.
The address, which was televised nationwide, lasted for just over 20 minutes.
According to the President, Democracy Day “is a celebration of freedom, and victory for one people, one country and one Nigeria.”
The President’s address came as thousands of Nigerians readied for protests across the country over issues such as insecurity and freedom of speech.
While acknowledging that Nigeria was still on its way to become a “mature democracy”, the President said the country has witnessed and overcome, in the last two years, “a good number of testing challenges that would have destroyed other nations, especially relating to our collective security.”
“The indefatigable, can-do spirit of the Nigerian has sustained us and will keep pushing us to put these challenges behind us,” the President said.
“Unfortunately, some of these challenges came in the shape of violent outrages, leading to loss of lives of many of our dear compatriots and the destruction of some of our infrastructure, including those devoted to improving our democratic processes.”
The President offered his condolences to those who have lost their lives in such violent incidents, including serving security officials.
“Let me assure my fellow citizens,” he said, “that every incident, however minor, gives me great worry and concern. And I immediately order security agencies to swiftly but safely rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”
The President added that while his administration is seeking to bring criminals to justice, it is also working to address the roots of insecurity, which he described as poverty and youth unemployment.
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")