THE new security measures by the U.S. targeted at Nigerians is an unacceptable new year gift to a friendly country like Nigeria on its jubilee anniversary year."
Foreign Affairs Minister Chief Ojo Maduekwe stated this yesterday while conveying, to the United States (U.S.), the official reaction of the Federal Government to the inclusion of Nigeria on the list of countries with high security risk, following the Christmas day attempted bombing of an American airplane by 23-year old Nigerian, Umar Farouk Abdumutallab.
The minister, who also summoned the American ambassador, Robin Renee Sanders, to his office yesterday over the matter, said Nigeria was already moving in the direction of civility by setting in motion, a machinery for the improvement of security infrastructure in the nation's international airports.
The development came as the Senate issued a seven-day ultimatum to Washington to withdraw the measure that will compel full body search of Nigerians at airports.
Maduekwe also used yesterday's briefing to dispel reports that N2.7 billion was spent by the ministry on foreign trips saying much of the funds went into the payment of the country's statutory dues in her membership of global organisations such as the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and for international seminars and workshops among others. He however pledged to submit the ministry's spending to greater prudence.
Sanders was not allowed to field questions from journalists yesterday. Maduekwe however maintained that the meeting explored the best options for both countries following the U.S. classification. He also disclosed that having also telephoned the U.S. State Department on Nigeria's concern over the terror list, ambassador Sanders pledged to pass on Nigeria's concerns to Washington "and get back to us in a couple of days."
As part of the improvement of the security infrastructure in the nation's airports, Nigeria has immediately ordered for 10 body scanners in addition to the four already provided by the U.S. government. He said: "Two are about to arrive. Eight are on their way into the country and there would be 20 others that would arrive in no distant time.. We did not hold on to some na�ve cry of sovereignty to reject the support we are getting from the U.S. in this regard. They were originally meant for suspected drug peddlers but its capacity can be stretched to detect terrorists. We have resorted to the usual diplomatic channel in handling the matter and I call for calm on all sides just as dignified responses best serve our interests in this difficult times. We are doing soul searching and have already pleaded to cooperate with the U.S. on the investigations currently going on in the matter."
Stating categorically that the selective treatment of Nigerians over Abdulmutallab's failed bomb bid was unacceptable to Nigeria, Maduekwe noted: "Putting Nigeria on that list is counterproductive. It will seriously undermine our re-branding challenge. Every system including ours would continue to improve itself. Even President Barack Obama has spoken of systemic failure. But we will come out of this stronger. There is nothing happening now that can deter Nigeria from its manifest destiny.
"This new twist would jeopardize the progress made so far in our bilateral relations. When Secretary of State Hilary Clinton came here, she made a strong commitment towards the start of the U.S.-Nigeria bi-national commission. So many things are going on in terms of capacity building and support between Nigeria and the U.S.. So, in this classification, I sense double standards since the shoe bomber's (the Briton, Richard Colvin Reid) action did not lead to a blacklist of his country when he was caught in the act similar to our own case... It is unfair to put us in the same category with those fighting the U.S. when we have been enhancing the U.S. security... there are far more Britons and Indonesians that are anti-American than Nigeria. And we say, it is in Nigeria's strategic interests to be positively engaged with the world's biggest economy. There are so many things being done that are best done quietly. A lot of things in diplomacy are not what people can see except for the outcome..."
On the possible existence of al-Qaeda elements in Nigeria to propel a culmination of events sparking the enlisting of Nigeria in the high-risk terror category, the minister said: "The impunity of religious extremists, condemnable as they are has nothing to do with anti-American movement or even al-Qaeda. Nigeria has not compromised its security. We acted in these and the loads of eruptions are not, frankly speaking really based on any religious causes. Nigerians are life-affirming people... It was a question of some unemployed youth being recruited by some powerful people and unscrupulous politicians in the name of religion."
The Senate warned U.S. government to withdraw its listing of Nigeria among countries whose citizens would be subjected to full body search or face the possibility of engaging Abuja's diplomatic machinery in full gear.
The ultimatum lasts until next Tuesday when the Senate sits, according to its spokesman, Ayogu Eze.
If the American government fails to heed the Senate, the Upper House will go into a closed session and initiate measures.
Also, the Senate admitted that it was constrained in dealing with the matter of the absentce of President Yar'Adua.
A visibly angry Eze yesterday at a press conference in Abuja said: "I am sure that you have been observing the trend in the media and we are referring to the issue of America listing Nigeria as one of the 14 countries to be placed under watch. I am speaking on behalf of the Senate and on behalf of the Senate president to state categorically that we are very unhappy about the development and when we resume, we are going to take this matter up seriously, if America has not taken Nigeria off that list.
"We also want to advise America that it is in their own best interest to conduct this matter very well in a manner that will not result into diplomatic row between America and Nigeria because the American president had himself clearly admitted that this was a failure of the system and manpower of Americans and I don't see where Nigeria comes in there.
"Moreover, this is just one instance of a Nigerian who, it is clearly established that it has no link with any fundamentalist group or any interest group within Nigeria, not even with his parents. This was a boy whose disappearance was reported to security agencies, the America authorities, and all the relevant authorities and the Americans did nothing and for them to turn round to punish Nigerians for the sin of an isolated case like this is completely acceptable to the Nigerian government and to the Nigerian Senate.
"We have also watched with keen interests several other breaches that have taken place since this boy's attempt. There was an uninvited guest who went to the White House. He and his wife were found in the White House. That was not a Nigerian. America should look inward and search their soul. There is something wrong with their system and they should not punish Nigerians who are very law abiding and good international citizens for the failure and irresponsibility of American operatives. Nigeria will not take that.
"It will be most unfair given the kind of relationship that has existed between America and Nigeria for America to jump to this kind of conclusion without even adequate consultations with the authorities in Nigeria. This is not acceptable to us and we are going to do whatever we can as a nation to prove to America that we will not take this.
"Our citizens who returned from different destinations, especially those who originated their flight from America, went through hell in order to come to meet their kith and kin for the Christmas break and the harrowing experience has scared a lot of them. They are even afraid to go back, and some others are even afraid to originate their trips for genuine transaction in America arising from tales they 've gotten from their relations and friends. This must be stopped immediately. This is not how diplomacy is conducted.
"We are going to engage all our diplomatic gears to ensure that we either have relationship with America or we don't. We believe that America is a mature country. It is the model of democracy all of us looked up to it and it has enjoyed very smooth and cordial diplomatic relationship with Nigeria. Nigeria has never been found wanting in her dealings with America. So, for them to embarrass this country with this kind of classification for no justification is completely unacceptable.
"It is not America alone that has citizens to whom the government is responsible. We also have citizens and we are responsible for them, we will not allow Nigerians to be molested wherever they go. I think that this message should be put out clearly that when we resume, if the situation is still there, it is going to be one of the major issues that we are going to tackle and the Senate President has told me to state categorically that he is unhappy about this and being the chairman of the National Assembly, it means also on behalf of the National Assembly."
AC said, however, that the Nigerian government itself must do its bit in making the country unattractive for global terrorism sponsors, who are seeking to recruit willing folks to swell their ranks.
It continued: ``If Nigeria is emerging as a recruiting ground for terrorists, it is because over the years, the government has not taken up the gauntlet of putting an end to the incessant religious crisis perpetrated by religious bigots and extremists- starting from the Maitatsine riots in the 1980s to Boko Haram and Kala Kato in 2009.
"Needless to say that the main reason the government has failed to stop the incessant sectarian violence is because most of those in power helped to create the monster of religious extremists in the north - just like the militants and in kidnappers in the south - for the purpose of rigging elections.
"Also, most of those who are recruited for these riots or violence are from the army of the unemployed or unemployables - all victims of the widespread and worsening bad governance in the land.
"Therefore, international partners of Nigeria must prod the government of the day to do more in stemming religious violence, and in ensuring violence-free as well as free and fair elections - a pre-requisite for enthronement of good governance. Once this happens, the ranks of those available for recruitment into extremist groups, from where they can then export their nefarious activities, will be depleted.
``A threat to peace anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere, as has been vividly brought home by the involvement of one misguided Nigerian, who tried to bomb a passenger plane in the U.S. on Christmas Day. Therefore, Nigeria's international partners will also be assisting themselves by assisting Nigeria.''
The party admitted, though, that the case of the 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the suspect in the failed U.S. plane bombing plot, is different.
It added: ``This is young man from a good home, who had a world class education and never lacked anything. He may not fit into the profile of those extremists we described above. But the truth is that those religious extremists in our midst remain a clear and present danger to themselves, to Nigerians and to the global community. The global community must support Nigeria to rout them out, not turn Nigerians to pariahs because of them,'' it said.
Besides, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau yesterday described Abdulmutallab's attempt to blow up Flight 253 US-bound aircraft as a misadventure that should not erase Nigeria's contribution to maintaining world peace.
Dambazau said while receiving the new President of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Abdullahi Mohammed, that "the positive contributions of Nigeria to world peace should not be overshadowed by the attempted terrorist attack."
Nigeria is the fourth contributor to Peace Support Operations (PSOs) in the world.
Dambazzau explained that the need to professionalize the department of Army Public Relations was to maintain military-civil relations and to speak the language that would make the civilians more comfortable.
Mohammed, who was elected NIPR President last month in Yenegoa, Beyelsa State, while thanking the Army for its support and for efforts to professionalise the Department of Army Public Relations, called on world leaders, particularly the American government, not to forget Nigeria's contribution to global peace. He added that the organisation was going to work with the Federal Government to improve Nigeria's image which is increasingly facing challenges from the international community.
0 comments:
Post a Comment