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| Africa Subsaharan |
| Top U.S. Official Pledges Security Help for Nigeria |
| 2012-03-06 |
| [An Nahar] A top U.S. official on Monday pledged to help Nigeria address security threats as Africa's most populous nation and largest oil producer deals with scores of attacks blamed on Islamist group Boko Haram. ... not to be confused with Procol Harum, Harum Scarum, possibly to be confused with Helter Skelter. Currently wearing a false nose and moustache and answering to Jama'atu Ahlus-Sunnah Lidda'Awati Wal Jihad, or Big Louie... "I think the United States wants to support Nigeria in every way that is appropriate from Nigeria's point of view, to deal with any threat here in this country," U.S. Under-Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman told news hounds. That's all very nice and everything, but Nigeria makes lotsa money with oil exports and 419 scams, so what kinda bill are we gonna foot? Sherman, the US State Department's number three, spoke of a "holistic approach" to addressing security in Nigeria, with most of the violence having occurred in the country's deeply impoverished and mainly Moslem north. She spoke of development and job creation. "And together we will do whatever we can, from intelligence sharing to assistance, to development, to security training, as we have done, given that Nigeria is one of the leaders in peacekeeping forces throughout the world," she said. Nigeria has contributed to a list of U.N.-sponsored peacekeeping missions and is a major supplier of U.S. oil imports. Sherman spoke after talks with Nigeria's junior minister of foreign affairs Viola Onwuliri. She was in Nigeria for a 24-hour visit during which she was also meeting civil society organizations and other top government officials. Nigeria has been hit by almost daily gun and kabooms mainly in the north and blamed on Boko Haram. There have been deep concerns over whether the group has formed ties with al-Qaeda. |
| Posted by:Fred |