THE heightening of security in Abuja on Thursday notwithstanding, the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, shelved many of the activities scheduled for her and left Nigeria for Ghana.

She later held a meeting with the Ghanaian President, Mr. John Mahama, at his residence in Accra. She is billed to participate in the state funeral for the late President John Attah Mill.

Clinton, on the last lap of her nine-nation African tour, departed the country shortly after a closed-door meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Security Council, but she shelved scheduled meeting, with civil society groups and anti-corruption campaigners billed for the US Ambassador’s residence in Abuja.

The US Secretary of State also shelved the traditional ‘Meet and Greet’ with US Embassy staff.

At the closed-door session with members of the National Security Council were the Minister of State, Defence, Chief Olusola Obada; National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.); Chief of Defence Staff, Air-Mashal Oluseyi Petinrin; Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika; and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Muhammed Abubakar.

The Federal Government had deployed security agents in many parts of the Federal Capital City, including the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and Umaru Yar’Adua Way, which were manned by soldiers and policemen as part of the security measures for Clinton’s visit.

Security agents were also at the Federal Secretariat and the Central Business District.

Also, roads leading to the Presidential Villa and the Federal Secretariat and the Central Business District were manned by armed security agents.

Foreign media reports on Thursday however indicated that Clinton would not pass the night in Nigeria because of security fears.

“The security situation in Nigeria has deteriorated to the point where the movement of US Embassy workers is often restricted. Clinton will spend only five hours on the ground and will not spend the night in Abuja, where the hotel traditionally used by visiting dignitaries has been the target of terrorist threats,” the Associated Press reported on Thursday.

Before she left the country, however, the US Secretary of State had encouraged Jonathan to take tough decisions necessary to change the fortunes of the country and that the US would support him.

She told the President, “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 and girl to have chance to fulfil his 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.”

Jonathan had earlier paid tribute to the US President Barak Obama and Clinton for their support for Nigeria. He recalled that she had used her position as US Secretary of State to deepen the relationship between the two countries.

He said, “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 quite some time by personally chairing the Bi-national and we have discussed various things – security, economy and so on and so forth. She has been very very supportive.

“And of course, the President of America, President Obama administration is also quite passionate about Africa and Nigeria. He has always been very supportive of us for the past five years. From the days I came in as Vice-President, especially that period as a nation when we faced a lot of challenges when the late President was very ill and we passed through turbulence period.

“The support they gave us was one of the support that stabilised this country. And when we insisted we must conduct election that is free and fair and that is the only way we can stabilise democracy, 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 your support for Nigeria and Africa and all what you are doing to make sure that this part of the globe develop.”

Clinton who was decked in a pair of black trousers and red jacket arrived at the Presidential Villa at 3.50pm in company with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru; Nigerian Ambassador to US, Ambassador Ade Adefuye, and a battery of security details and foreign journalists.

She left the Presidential Villa at 6.15 pm and headed for the airport and on her way to Accra, Ghana.

President Barack Obama had been under pressure by some American legislators to classify the Islamic violent sect, Boko Haram, as a terrorist group, a campaign that had been resisted by diplomats arguing that the sect mainly focused on domestic violence.

In June this year, however, the US government labelled suspected Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, and two other Nigerian militants “global terrorists,” thus allowing the seizure of their assets in the United States.

The labelling was dismissed by Shekau who appeared in a posting on YouTube last weekend.

Boko Haram is believed to maintain links with Al-Queda in the Islamic Maghreb, Al-Qaeda’s North African branch, among other terrorist groups.


http://www.punchng.com/news/security-fears-clinton-cancels-scheduled-abuja-meetings/

Reports like this are not good for Nigeria especially the much-vaunted call for foreign investments into the country.

The government must roll up its sleeves to return peace to the land and also ruthlessly tackle corruption which appears to be getting stronger.

Without a feeling of security by residents and visitors, an onslaught against the festering sore of corruption and a massive turnaround of infrastructure, Nigeria should say goodbye to development.

Let her and her parasitic country go to hell.!
Who needs them anyway?.
Tommorrow they will wonder why china is gaining grounds in africa.

ok

So there are some places in the world the US secretary of states is scared of visting, thought the US can see the whole world at the same time.

solomon111: Let her and her parasitic country go to hell.!
Who needs them anyway?.
Tommorrow they will wonder why china is gaining grounds in africa.

Are you denying the truth

Clinton was on a mission to remind GEJ of their own quota of crude oil, what's her business with 9ja security if u ppl like keep on killing yourselves in as much as their own share of crude oil is flowing no yawa.

make una no blame d woman o!!, if na me, i no go even spend 1hr for naija. naija must do something abt our security, naija don d turn GAZA.

She told the President, “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 and girl to have chance to fulfil his God-given potential.

I didnt see North there, am i the only one seeing this?

I think GEJ should be schooled on the meaning of C-in-C because he doesn't know how to use his power to take firm decisions in fighting insecurity. Goodluck Jonathan is like a hunter with a gun in the bush and sees a tiger and says "o God, let this tiger just pass away"

In June this year, however, the US government labelled suspected Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, and two other Nigerian militants “global terrorists,” thus allowing the seizure of their assets in the United States

hmmmm. so these guys has assest in the USA, who said they are poor self

I never liked her visit self... Those type of visits usually comes with some hidden agenda. Good thing she didn't sleep over.

I KNEW IT!!

blacksta:

Are you denying the truth

What fucking truth.?
Was it not the same Nigeria,that david cameron visited,even though it was probably a parasitic visit.
Yeye people.

As you make you bed so you lie on it,only a fool farts in a pool and expect it to go unnoticed,nigeria has continued to fart in the pool of international communities,hillary's gesture points to the international community the western african countries safe for investment,a national conference is the easiest and surest way to tackle and contain boko haram and many other security concerns any other approach will be new wine in old skin

alaoeri: Clinton was on a mission to remind GEJ of their own quota of crude oil, what's her business with 9ja security if u ppl like keep on killing yourselves in as much as their own share of crude oil is flowing no yawa.

5Likes

what is the benefit of her visit to Nigeria?

lol

alaoeri: Clinton was on a mission to remind GEJ of their own quota of crude oil, what's her business with 9ja security if u ppl like keep on killing yourselves in as much as their own share of crude oil is flowing no yawa.

true

she adviced GEJ on 2015, dont attempt ir.

she adviced GEJ on 2015, dont attempt it.

ok

stop spreading false news, she was in nigeria yesterday, read wide poster

link: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=95128:clinton-welcomes-reforms-in-nigeria-silent-on-insecurity-&catid=1:national&Itemid=559

UNITED States Secretary of State, Mrs. Hilary Clinton yesterday met with President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, declaring that if the economic reforms being implemented is carried out to a logical end, “the future for Nigeria is limitless.”

Clinton also charged President Jonathan to ensure that there are better opportunities for all Nigerians so that every young boy and girl will have chance to fulfill his or her God given potential.

She pledged that the American government will work closely with Nigeria in order to make the reforms embarked upon by the government to endure “and take the tough decisions that are necessary.”

Clinton, who arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja was driven straight to the Presidential Villa where she was received at the foyer of the President’s office by Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru.

She arrived by 3.52 p.m. with a retinue of aides and media team. Her convoy drove into the foyer of the President’s office, a honour granted to only visiting Heads of State and Government. Ashiru led Clinton into the President’s office for a formal welcome and meeting with President Jonathan. Both the American and Nigerian delegations later went into talks.

After the meeting, Clinton said: “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 has helped us to expand and deepen our co-operation on 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 don't need her to sleep in Nigeria and incur unnecessary hosting cost for us. She is just a secretary of state and not a president of a country. So let us not split our hairs over her itenary.
Ordinarily, our president had no business meeting her. But it's enough for their world power status that the president gave her audience.
Those who wish to make a political capital out of her visit should recall that both the British prime minister and German chancellor have all spent the night In Nigeria most recently.

It is said that he that insults, mocks or humiliates a man teaches him a lesson and also challenges him. after all the hard lessons the man is expected reason within himself if he knows shame and put his acts together,if he doesn't then it will be clear that indeed he is a good for thing that would be consistently stepped on and treated like nigeria,I wonder where we get our pride from as a nation because I don't see any country that respects or has regards for nigeria (you can correct me with examples if I am wrong) even the african countries to whom he deceive ourselves that we are their big brother only pay lip service respect to us only when they need our soldiers to go and die in their boiling regions apart from such we are constantly put in our place even by zimbabwe of all countries,No need to blame hillary for any thing she did let's sit as a family or as neighbours and tell our selves the truth in a national discuss you can call it what ever name you like.

koastar: I think GEJ should be schooled on the meaning of C-in-C because he doesn't know how to use his power to take firm decisions in fighting insecurity. Goodluck Jonathan is like a hunter with a gun in the bush and sees a tiger and says "o God, let this tiger just pass away"

Very correct.

gboss4sure:

I didnt see North there, am i the only one seeing this?

why she qo mention north when everyone knows how volatile they are

I HATE AMERICAN LEADER WITH PASSION THEY NEVER MENT ANY GOOD FOR AFRICAN PEOPLE THEY ARE JUST HERE MILK US DRY CAN ANYBODY POINT TO WHAT AMERICA HAS DONE TO BETTER HOW LIFE CHAINA IS THE FUTURE

I HATE AMERICAN LEADER WITH PASSION THEY NEVER MENT ANY GOOD FOR AFRICAN PEOPLE THEY ARE JUST HERE TO MILK US DRY CAN ANYBODY POINT TO WHAT AMERICA HAS DONE TO BETTER OUR LIFE CHAINA IS THE FUTURE