BY:
STANLEY NWOSU
Following the botched attempt to bring down a Northwest Airlines Airbus A330 by a Nigerian Omar Faruk Abdulmutallab, several issues have arisen. Prominent and most worrisome is the inclusion of Nigeria on a U.S list of terrorism prone nations.
Despite Nigeria’s assurances of co-operation with local and international security agencies, the Transport Security Administration in Washington went ahead to administer tighter security measures AGAINST Nigeria and thirteen other countries which include Afghanistan, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Cuba, Yemen and Sudan.
Others are Algeria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and Syria. According to the statement, all passengers flying into the United States from abroad will be subject to random screening or the so-called “threat-based screens”. It further mandated that every individual flying into the U.S. from anywhere in the world, travelling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism would be required to go through enhanced screening. The truth of the matter is that no individual or country will blame the U.S. government for taking extra steps to protect its people and property from foreign aggressions.
At the same time, no individual or country would want to join issues with America on the matter. Nigeria is also not unaware that in matters such as this, the law ought to take its course. But in investigating the matter or passing judgement on Farouk Abdulmutalab, or even in the inclusion of Nigeria in its terrorist watch list, America should put into consideration, a lot of factors.
In fact, the Minister of Information and Communications, Professor Dora Akunyili was very apt to tell foreign and local media in separate interviews, within the week, that America’s decision to include Nigeria on its list for tighter screening is unfair as the country does not have or intend to have terrorists tendencies.
The Minister put it very clearly and the U.S must bear this in mind for whatever action it would take on this issue, that Farouk Abudulmutalab’s action was a one off thing. That the young man was neither influenced nor trained or even recruited in Nigeria, and therefore couldn’t have been supported whatsoever in Nigeria.
According to the Minister, it will be very unfair to discriminate against over one hundred and fifty million people because of the behaviour of one person. In other words Abdulmutalab’s behaviour is not reflective of Nigerians. INDEED Nigeria is a peace loving country WITH CITIZENS THAT LOVE GOOD LIFE AND ABHORS aggressive attack on any country. Leading credence to voice of reason was the former president Olusegun Obasanjo with words of caution for US and her allies against criminalising the rest of Nigerians over a single MISGUIDED act of AN individual. America should as a matter of fact, put into consideration in the course of its investigations and in enforcing strict security measures on Nigeria, the need to uncover any individual, group or country that served as an accomplice in the act.
All this will go a long way in enabling the U.S. pass a fair and balanced judgement on Nigeria as a country and perhaps, see reasons to dismiss Farouk’s act as a misguided one, as a result of NEGATIVE foreign influence. The ENTIRE nations’ since facts began to emerge had been united in condemning the act and the blacklisting of Nigeria by the US. HOWEVER, there is the need for a multi – media campaign including using international media to convince the world that although Farouk had been allegedly caught trying to commit a crime, Nigeria as a nation does not have terrorists tendencies.
The Federal Government should as a matter of urgency, use diplomatic approaches to convince the U.S. and the entire world that Nigeria is a peace loving country and would not have ventured into anything that would halt its bilateral relations with other countries. Apparently, it is not going to be an easy task, given the prejudicial statements most WESTERN commentators have made, but it is important FOR EVERY NIGERIAN HOME AND ABROAD TO INSIST ON THE NATION’S INNOCENCE IN THIS MATTER. Nigerians should stand up in one accord and defend their COUNTRY.
Source FRCN.Recorded live from the daily commentaries
No comments:
Post a Comment