Photo: Vanguard

Heavily armed suspected sect members (file photo)

The Government of the United States is intensifying efforts to help its Nigerian counterpart to find a lasting solution to the problems relating to security issues.

This was disclosed to LEADERSHIP by a Media Officer in the Department of State, Ms. Renner Fuller Hilary, during an exclusive interview with our Correspondent in Washington DC.

Hilary, who maintained that the major concern was the security problem in the Northern Nigeria, also noted that the United States government was taking the menace of Boko Haram seriously.

She pledged the United States support for Nigeria's efforts to pursue a comprehensive approach to the security problems in the north.

Hilary stressed that terrorism and other security related problems in the country required a professional response, as well as a political and socio-economic one from both the United States and Nigerian governments.

"We have an FBI representative or Legal Attaché, permanently resident in Nigeria. As needed, FBI representatives will go to Nigeria for a temporary period of time to work with their Nigerian government counterparts," she said.

The Media officer revealed that a bomb technician has been in Nigeria working with the Nigerian government on the ongoing investigations of the recent bombings in some parts of the country.

Hilary said, "Nigeria needs a professional security response as well as a political and socio-economic one to tackle these security problems in the Northern Nigeria and the country as a whole"

"The fundamental principle of our consular information programme is that the U.S. Government cannot have a 'double standard'. We must share with the American public credible threat information that could affect the safety and or security of U.S. citizens traveling or residing abroad if that threat cannot be countered, and that Information must be shared with the public at the same time it is provided to our Embassies abroad."