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Abuja — The Nigerian government yesterday protested its inclusion by its American counterpart among nations it considers as "countries of interest" - those that sponsor state terrorism.
In the wake of the protest, LEADERSHIP learnt that the National Security Adviser, Gen. Abdullahi Sarki Mukhtar (rtd.), will today hold a meeting of security chiefs in the country to review the new directive by the U.S. Transport Security Administration (TSA) that all air passengers from Nigeria entering the United States be screened specially.
The American government's directive came in the wake of the failed attempt on Christmas Day by a 23-year old Nigerian national, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, to blow up a commercial airliner over Detroit, Michigan. The plane had taken off from Amsterdam with 273 passengers and 11 crew members.
The TSA had on Sunday directed that passengers from "countries of interest" and those from Cuba, Sudan, North Korea, and Syria, which Washington describes as "state sponsors of terrorism," be subjected to enhanced screening at the airports with techniques that include full-body pat-downs, carry-on bag searches, full-body scanning and explosive detection technology.
Nigerians are among 14 nations whose nationals face stiffer rules, including body searches and luggage checks.
Four other African countries - Algeria, Libya, Somalia and Sudan - are also subject to the new measures.
US President Barack Obama has been under pressure to install and ensure security improvements.
The new security directives came into effect yesterday.
Nigeria yesterday condemned in strong terms the tough screening imposed on Nigerian passengers wanting to fly to the US.
Minister of Information and Culture, Prof. Dora Akunyili, said the rules discriminated against 150 million Nigerians.
Abdulmutallab did not represent Nigeria, she said.
She said his act was a "one-off".
"Abdulmutallab's behaviour is not reflective of Nigeria and should therefore not be used as a yardstick to judge all Nigerians," she said.
"He was not influenced in Nigeria, he was not recruited or trained in Nigeria, he was not supported whatsoever in Nigeria.
"It is unfair to discriminate against 150 million people because of the behaviour of one person."
The House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora has also viewed the recent call by US Congressman Peter King (Republican Party, New York) and a member of US House of Representatives' Homeland Security Committee, that Abdulmutallab should be tried in a secret military court as "unfair and unjustifiable".
The committee, which joined others to condemn the action of Abdulmutallab, also appealed to Nigerians in the Diaspora to exercise restraint and caution when being subjected to screening at various airports.
A statement from the chairman of the committee, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, advised the security agencies globally not to use the event of December 25, 2009 as an excuse to molest and harass innocent Nigerians in the Diaspora.
LEADERSHIP gathered that at today's meeting of security chiefs, the Federal Government would take a formal position on the decision taken by the US government.
A Presidency source said the NSA is of the opinion that there is no justification for including Nigeria in the list of countries regarded as sponsors of terrorism.
The source added, "The fact that the suspect is a Nigerian is no compelling reason for the inclusion. The National Security Adviser holds strongly that there are convicted terrorists who are American, British and Belgian citizens, and this fact has not made the TSA to regard either Britain or Belgium as a country of interest.
"Hamid Hyat, who was convicted in April 2007 of terrorism, is an American. Richard Reid, who is serving a life sentence in the U.S. for attempting on December 22, 2001 to bomb an American commercial plane flying from Paris to Miami, is a British citizen. His collaborator, Nizar Trabelsi, is Belgian.
"If the American authorities could not add Britain and Belgium to the list of countries of interest, then, there is no objective reason to include Nigeria. We may be deeply religious, but certainly we are no suicide bombers or terrorists. Both the Nigerian government and the people abhor fanaticism."
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How interesting to see how mediocrity has become the order of the system in Nigeria. Before Abdutallib, Nigeria has grappled with significant terrorism in internal strife and many lives had been lost. Nevertheless, the nation has been very clear about it's unequivocal stance on terrorism and have taken decisive actions in this direction. to name a few like the zongo kataf, jos and recently Boko haram terrorist attacks on innocent in guise of religious riots. The US from in my thinking has never meant well for this nation in speech and action let history of our international relation with it(US) guide you. How disappointing at this crucial hour when we've not resolve issue that tithers on our existence and wel being the government, run by mediocres, finds it important to loose hairs on issue like enlistment as a terrorist state. This just a mare figment of US arrogant writing in a piece of paper which should give no one nightmares as Nigeria has never carried bomb to bomb Cameroun for example pest of a neighbour that have benefited imensely from Nigeria's hospitality, generousity and good neighbourliness. Back to the issue, we've been been counting in the last 12 years alone millions of bad and innocent people that have died in the cold hands of US Military in Serbia, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Not to talk of indirect involvement of US in kilings in Palestine, south americas, somalia and recently in Yemen. Now who is a terrorist? Modus operandi may differ, however, US is comparable to the likes of Osama Bin Ladin in they they all are "merchants of misery and death" world wide. Back to Nigeria our so-call rulers must desist from deception using issues that are Inconsequential to sway the real matter of the moment Yar'dua's whereabouts. It's either he resigns or he get fired and Jonathan be appointed in his stead. That is our issue not US bogus list. Those in governance have prove to us that they are incapable as a sneeze or cough in US always produce flu swymptoms in them an halmark of incompetence and nation without self esteem and pride. Why because what is left if any has been sold to to corruption and selfishness. Wake up Nigeria and don't be taken for a cheaqp ride.
i believe he should duely punished and severely but for him being a nigerian should not be use as a yard stick to judge other nigerians, we do not breed terrorist and i dont think we would want to do anything stupid to cause enemity between we and the other world.
i do not support Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab he should be severely and extremely dealt wit. wat a bad name he has given us, i hope we will be able to reconcile this damage.
I totally agree with the protest of the Nigerian Fed.Govt.The fact that the suspect is a Nigerian,is no compelling reason for the inclusion of Nigeria as a state sponsoring terrorists. I join the committee to condemn the act of Abdulmutallab.
2. The idea of the LEADERSHIP meeting of security chiefs also I agree and wish them the best of meeting.And that the Federal Govt. would take a formal position on the decision taken by U.S Govt.that is also good .
But the question is, would there be any formal meeting of the security chiefs,without the consent and presence of the president of the Fed. Repub. of NIg.?. (b) How can the Fed.Govt. will take a formal position on the official decision of the Govt. of U.S without the power and authority of the president of Nigeria ?.Formal means official, and the vice president has not been officially or formally given the power and authority to commit into act any official duty of the president of Nigeria, so how can the Fed. Govt. will illegally formalised the position of the official decision of a formal Govt. of the U.S.?. Two wrongs can not make a right .
So if the security chiefs and the Fed. Govt. of Nigeria want to take any position to the decision of the official decision of the U.S. Govt. You must as a matter of fact go to Saudi Arabia, to get a written authority signed,delivered and if possible sealed by the president of the Fed. Repub. of Nig. to enable U.S.Govt. to deal with you officially and or formally.That is the position of the law.America can not be dealing with a country officially, that has not been officially empowered to deal with them. America is not a country where democracy is real, dont forget. not African democracy type.where the president will pocket the country for his own selfish reasons and go away with free. So please my advice, before you formally deal with the Govt. of the U.S, you must have formalised your position first with the president of Nigeria, in Saudi Arabia.
Thank you for your comprehension.
Yakubu .G.Magaji. Bauchi State-Nigeria.
NIGERIA as a nation has no leader that have nigerians in thier mind they were too majority of corrupt leaders.U.S.A loves thier citizens and thier friends lives all over the world and they continue to fulfill thier promises in security.if i may ask nigeria securities question? who is the sponsor mastermind to religious killings in nothern nigeria mostly muslims?in 80s,90s and 2000s,(2) who is the sponsor mastermind to boko haram and his masacre islamist,(3)who is the sponsor mastermind of current masacre in the bauchi nothern state of nigeria ? in nigeria no justice record in those terror crimes committed.politians and milioniers in P.D.P and nigeria slautered innocent people every day no justice, nothing security done.more than one million poor people dies in nigeria a yr due to bad leaders and lack of job creating.i believed this is time for our leaders to take part of thier share of bad leadership mind.this is not time to lay blames this is time to proved positive by giving us our deserved 24rs electricity after collecting our $15m dolar since 1999 till today no sign of improvement.its abomination commited by our leaders.
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