TheCable

Solomon Tesso, one of the injured victims of Wednesday’s bomb blast in Abuja has begged President Goodluck Jonathan for help in setting up a business, so that he can restart his shattered life.

Jonathan was visiting the Maitama General Hospital to commiserate with the victims, after abruptly ending his participation at the 23rd Ordinary Session of the African Union’s Summit of Heads of State and Government in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

Not wanting a lifetime meeting with the president to slip by, the injured victim, whose left leg was badly damaged, begged the president for help, saying he decided to sell recharge cards rather than steal, hence he did not deserve to be hospitalised from an attack while he was honestly trying to eke out a living.

“Na recharge card I dey sell for Banex plaza, Your Excellency. I don’t have a job. See what I go through. Since yesterday I can’t sleep,” Solomon lamented.

“I finish school since no Job. I can’t steal; na recharge card I dey sell, sir. If you people can help me to start better business, then I can start my life again.”

Responding, the president told Solomonto forget about business in the interim, but he should be grateful to God for saving his life.

“We are happy you are alive. Thank God you are alive. Don’t talk about business now,” Jonathan said.

Addressing journalists thereafter, the president — he was accompanied by assistant inspector-general of police, Suleiman Abba; minister of health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu and other state officials — said the country is in its “darkest phase” ever.

“It is quite regrettable and extremely painful that when some Nigerians are struggling, thinking about how to contribute to national development, working very hard to take care of their families, others are busy planning to kill people, intimidate people, destroy peoples’ properties,” Jonathan said.

“It is regrettable. It is one of the darkest phases in the history of our nation but surely we will get over it. Some other countries have passed through such cloud before and they were able to overcome it and they were able to sail through.

“We share the pains of the people who have been directly affected, the pains of their families but we will surely pass through this ugly phase of our history. The perpetrators of this, those who are directly involved and those who sponsor them will surely be brought to book.”

Wednesday’s bomb blast at Emab Plaza resulted in the death of 22 people and injuries to many more.