President Goodluck Jonathan is said to have welcomed the decision of the London Ministerial Meeting on Security in Nigeria and West Africa to operationalize a Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit to enhance the generation and sharing of information that is essential to curbing terrorist activities.
President Goodluck Jonathan is said to have welcomed the decision of the London Ministerial Meeting on Security in Nigeria and West Africa to operationalize a Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit to enhance the generation and sharing of information that is essential to curbing terrorist activities.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });
A government statement on the London security meetings was issued to media groups in Abuja, and obtained by SaharaReporters. That statement reads in part:
“President Jonathan similarly applauds the establishment of a multi-national joint task force by Nigeria, Chad, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, and Cameroon, to enforce stricter border controls and to prevent terrorists from having unrestricted access to their territories.
“The President believes that the implementation of the important decisions taken at the London meeting, supported by necessary technical expertise from Britain, the United States and France, will greatly boost his administration’s ongoing efforts to end the scourge of terrorism in Nigeria, and make the country a much safer place for its citizens and residents.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });
“As his Administration continues to vigorously explore options for rescuing the abducted Chibok College girls, and enhance security in all parts of Nigeria, President Jonathan reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to working for faster progress on developmental, governance, education, and gender issues in keeping with its multifaceted approach to dealing with the underlying causes of conflict and insecurity in parts of Nigeria.
“The President also endorses the agreement by all countries represented at the London meeting that their collective response to terrorism must show due regard for human rights.
“President Jonathan thanks the British Government for the reaffirmation of its commitment to helping Nigeria and other West African countries to achieve faster development and ensure that social services and infrastructure are provided to those communities most affected by conflict and insecurity.
“He also welcomes Britain’s announced intention to expand its ongoing support for Nigeria’s efforts to overcome terrorism and insurgency,” the statement concluded. It was a press release written by Reuben Abati, President Jonathan’s Special Advisor to his office of Media and Publicity.
On other matters coming out of London, the Jonathan Administration was strangely silent about the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, also being held in London, England. The issue there was a new initiative the UN had launched on Wednesday known as, the ‘Guidance Note on Reparations for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence.’ The world body issued what they called, a ‘blueprint’ for promoting “gender-sensitive approaches” to the design and delivery of reparations for victims of conflict-related sexual violence.
As the search continues for rescuing the abducted Chibok College girls, and to what the administration calls, ‘moves to enhance security in all parts of Nigeria,’ critics of President Jonathan say that it is curious that he acknowledges one move to do just that, while ignoring another announcement coming out of the same city, on the same day.
googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });