Nigeria and Terrorism

President Barack Obama is a very meticulous man. He is known to consider all available options before taking action on matters particularly if they concern the security and safety of Americans. But his recent decision to “blacklist” Nigeria as a country of interest in the war against terrorism does not appear to reflect the Obama I know.

The only Nigerian connection in the alleged attempt by Umar Farouk to blow up the Detroit –bound flight on Christmas day is that he was born to Nigerian parents. The young man has spent most of his adult life in Britain and indications are that he made his Yemeni contacts from Britain. If any country should be blacklisted as a result of this incident, it is Britain. After all, this is not Britain’s first brush with terrorists.

As Nigerians, we may have been involved in more than one criminal activity. We may have been involved in several inter and intra-communal clashes resulting from acts of injustice and deprivation as is the case with the Niger Delta region. We may be very notorious (sometimes exaggerated) for several forms of fraud but terrorism is very strange to Nigeria and Nigerians.

My advice to America is very straightforward. Instead of blacklisting Nigeria for the sins of one out of several million people, America should reach out to the Federal Government of Nigeria and recruit Nigeria as a foot soldier in the war against terrorism. I am confident that the Federal Government of Nigeria would be more than willing to bear arms against terrorism. America should provide logistical support to strengthen security in all our airports and other exit points as part of the global war against terrorism. No Nigerian is happy with what Umar Farouk attempted to do on Christmas day.

Tata, everybody

Napoleon