President Goodluck Jonathan discussing with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru and United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the Presidential Villa, Abuja...yesterday. PHOTO AKIN OLADOKUN
Nigeria’s precarious security situation topped discussions yesterday between top government officials and the United States at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The US Secretary of State Mrs Hillary Clinton was in Abuja as part of her African tour.
She met with President Goodluck Jonathan, top government functionaries and security chiefs.
Mrs. Clinton has visited Senegal, Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa. She is expected to attend the funeral of the late Ghanaian President John Attah Mills, today in Accra.
She arrived at the Villa at 3:54pm and left at 6:15pm.
She told President Jonathan of the United State’s offer to help fight Boko Haram insurgency because Washington is concerned about insecurity spreading.
“Northern Nigeria also borders Chad, it borders Cameroon, it borders Niger and we are concerned this radicalism could undermine the security of neighbouring states,” a senior U.S. official said.read more
“A security strategy is not enough,” the official added.
Military crackdowns have had mixed results, reducing Boko Haram’s capabilities in some areas, but generating anger because of their heavy-handedness.
Washington will offer Nigeria help with things like forensics, tracking of suspects and “fusing” disparate strands of police and military intelligence, the U.S. official said.
“We know all too well from our own experiences in both Iraq and Afghanistan what can happen if soldiers and police are not operating under appropriate authorities.
“We will encourage them not to use excessive force and to look at this as a ... law enforcement operation designed to catch perpetrators and bring them to justice,” he added.
Mrs Clinton said: “You appreciate and you know how committed United States and the Obama Administration is to our partnership with your country. We consider it absolutely vital to our Bi-National Commission which as you have mentioned, has helped us to expand and deepen our cooperation on a full range of issues. “We are working on economic matters, the improvement of productivity in agriculture, education and health, security, diversification of your economy and so much more.
“We intend to remain very supportive on your reform efforts.
“Thank you for mentioning the work we did together on the election. We were also very supportive of anti corruption reform efforts, more transparency in the work that you and your team are also championing because we really believe that the future for Nigeria is limitless but the most important task that you face, as you have said, is making sure that there are better opportunities for all Nigerians, South, East, West, every young boy or girl to have a chance to fulfil his or her God given potential.
“We want to work with you and we will be by your side as you make the reforms and take the tough decisions that are necessary.
President Jonathan commended the Americans for their support.
“Within this period of being Secretary of State, she has raised the relationship between Nigeria and America to a very high level that we have never reached for some time by personally chairing the Bi-National Commission. We have discussed various things - security, economy and so on and so forth. She has been very supportive
“And of course, the Obama administration is also passionate about Africa and Nigeria. He has always been very supportive of us in the past five years. From the days I came in as Vice President, especially at that period as a nation when we faced a lot of challenge when the late President (umar Uar’Adua) was very ill and we passed through a turbulent period.
“And they gave us the support that stabilised this country. And when we insisted we must conduct an election that is free and fair, they were very supportive. They gave us moral support, technical support to INEC and assisted us to make sure that we conducted elections that national and international observers declared as free and fair.
“So, let me on behalf of government and good people of Nigeria really thank you and President Obama and the good people of America for this support and Africa and all what you are doing to make sure that this part of the globe is developed,” She said.
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