Obasanjo's peace speech

President Obasanjo of Nigeria appealed on national TV for reconciliation following two weeks of sectarian violence that has left hundreds dead. Here are extracts from his speech:

"Fellow Nigerians, I speak to you again today with a sad and heavy heart, having recently returned from a visit to Kaduna, where I saw the carnage and devastation resulting from the recent disturbances in that city..."

"I could not believe that Nigerians were capable of such barbarism against one another, but what I saw there was perhaps even more gruesome in detail..."

Massive devastation

"I did not order the troops in right from the start because the normal procedure, in such matters, is that the governor of the state concerned must first indicate that the police strength at its disposal is unable to contain the disturbances, and then specifically request for military assistance, or in special cases, the police - through the inspector general - could make such a request.

"Once that request came from the deputy governor, I immediately ordered the troops should move in to support the police and took necessary measures to put an end to the killings and destruction in that city and its environments..."

"The devastation was so massive it seemed as though Kaduna had overnight been turned into a battlefield.

"My visit confirmed, in every single detail, all the reports I had been getting, the mindless killings and maiming, the wanton destruction of property, the fear and uncertainty on the faces of those who had survived the carnage and the pervasive mutual suspicion."

"It was clear to me that while the toll was being taken of the massive losses that attended the disturbances, it was necessary to immediately begin the process of healing and reconciliation..."

"Just before we left Kaduna for Zaria, the painful news came of the disturbances in Aba, a city we had just visited two days previously.

"The disturbances there were started by a group of renegades, who are under the misguided but fatal impression, that they were taking due revenge for the murder of their kith and kin in Kaduna whose bodies were brought back on a trailer.

"When all the statistics of the devastation in Kaduna, Kachia, Aba, Umuahia and other places are recorded, we will find - I am sad to say - that this has been one of the worst instances of bloodletting that this country has witnessed since the civil war..."

Call for calm

"These acts cannot and must not go on. We must bring to a very prompt end the temptation to always resort to violence in any disagreement between groups, whether religious or ethnic or political.

"We must rid ourselves of the mentality of murderousness that stems from fear and suspicion of the other person. We must rediscover the value of dialogue..."

"The National Council of State urges all Nigerians to remain calm and law-abiding. Provocative and inciting utterances will not be tolerated..."

"There can be no winners in the disturbances. All Nigerians are losers and in peace and cessation of destruction of life and property, all Nigerians are winners.

"Let me say, for the benefit of investors in our economy that those tragic events is a hiccup, which is not unusual for a nation like Nigeria, which has been oppressed and suppressed by its rulers in recent years. The hiccup will be put behind us and we will - Insha'Allah - move full steam ahead..."

"What we must do now is to begin to return to the fundamental faith that life, all life is sacred..."

"Today, we are no longer hostages of a mean and lawless government. Our conduct, our relationships - whether religious, ethnic, or political - must be governed by the laws of the land.

"We must begin again to deal with one another in transparent comradeship, and seek to settle our misunderstandings peacefully, decently, and humanely..."

"All Nigerians are assured of safety and security in their normal places of residence..."

"Law-enforcement agents have been instructed to deal decisively with anyone or group who disturbs public peace and order..."

"I must not end this brief address without assuring all our fellow citizens of the firm determination of our government to resist any attempt from any quarter to pursue a line that can lead to the disintegration of this country.

"Those who break our laws will be punished to the full extent of the law... God bless you all and God bless Nigeria."

BBC Monitoring (http://www.monitor.bbc.co.uk), based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.