Terrorism in Nigeria? I mean the big one.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070906/ap_on_re_af/nigeria_us

What happens if the London train explosion, the Bali nightclub inferno, and the Spanish explosion were to happen in naija? How prepared are we from policing, medical, and strategic points of view?

Do we even have drills to prepare people for such things? I hope it's somebody's job to at least think about these things.

Hmmmm no be small thing

As far as am concerned the motivation behind this announcement by US is the same motivation behind George Bush meeting up Chineese leader in Sydney today to discuss China's business activities around the globe.

America is threatened that the present Nigerian regime is romancing china more than they US, this is all international politics and I expect the likes of Kingibe to be experienced enough to point the Presidency in the right direction.

Our short term relationship with China seems to be bearing more fruit than our long term exploitative friends (US and UK).

Nigerian leaders should focus and act in the interest of Nigeria, we don't have any issues with Al-Qaeda and so I don't know what the basis of such attack will be.

As a matter of fact Nigerian Government must be weary US playing politics with Nigeria's internal security.

Because at the rate things are going, the CIA may sponsor terrorist to hit Nigeria just to vindicate their stance and then work their way into the Nigerian Government in their bid to consolidate their grip on strategic relationship with Nigeria against rising China profile.

that is a valid observation McKren, the US has no compunctions about using such strategies to further their aims, the current inroads China and lately India and Korea are making into Nigeria must worry them greatly

But those countries have shown that they are willing to invest in infrastructure development in Nigeria in return for energy access, while the Western Multi-Nationals are only engaged in profit making. They are obviously piqued by the overwhelming dominance of these countries in recent oil block sales, which the Obj administration (in one of its wiser moments) decided to couple to downstream/infrastructure development commitments

We as a country must forge partnerships that are in our best interest, not just pandering to the whims of the Americans. Terrorist attacks on US assets? highly unlikely IMO, unless they are talking about kidnappings of oil workers, and even that has died down in recent months. I believe it is just more of a general warning to US citizens to be wary as the 9/11 anniversary approaches.

as to naijaking's question, we are obviously not ready, the floods that have occurred in various parts of the country in recent weeks show that we are highly unprepared, the govt will probably just send out the military to keep the peace and a lot of atrocities will be committed.

There is no question that US interests in Nigeria and Africa as a whole would always remain suspect.

The next question is 'what can we do for ourselves, really?'

may your optimistic views be real.
But we must never underestimate the zeal of the sons of allah

+osisi:

may your optimistic views be real.
But we must never underestimate the zeal of the sons of allah

Shut up and get lost, the US is trying to fool you into believing their propanganda against your country and you are trying to justify their cause, you are a shame to nigeria and nigerians stupid bigot.

McKren:

As a matter of fact Nigerian Government must be weary US playing politics with Nigeria's internal security.

Because at the rate things are going, the CIA may sponsor terrorist to hit Nigeria just to vindicate their stance and then work their way into the Nigerian Government in their bid to consolidate their grip on strategic relationship with Nigeria against rising China profile.

Let's strip away the pablum and be substantive.How does a US terror alert imply an attempt to thwart China's rising profile.I have never been able to understand much of the pseudo-reasoning used in anti-American diatribes

for the records I am not anti-American

I am sorry if the intrigues surrounding this issue is too difficult for you to understand, but that is why it is called politics

Nazism was politics but it was also irrational.I told you to strip away the pablum and offer something substantive.How does a US terror alert,which is common even in the US,thwart China's rising profile.

Saying something which is apparently meaningless is hardly intelligent.When the US claims its embassy are under threat in the West,is it also to thwart China?

China's inroad into Nigeria, others unsettles U.S.
From Laolu Akande,
New York
AT least in the last three years, the United States (U.S.) government, through the office of the Secretary of Defence, has been monitoring Nigeria and Africa's increasing relations with China in its regular review and observation of China's military power.

A yearly report to the U.S. Congress from the Secretary of Defence for this year and last year, specifically mentioned Nigeria in the American government review on China's military while in 2005, the same report referred to Africa.

The U.S. government, though said in the 2007 report that it welcomes the rise "of a peaceful and prosperous China and it encourages China to participate as a responsible international stakeholder", expressed worry that "much uncertainty surrounds the future course China's leaders will set for their country, including in the area of China's expanding military power and how that power might be used."

Although the reports are in themselves essentially glimpses into the deeper core of America's own foreign policy and military complex, observers say the U.S. government is clearly considering China's inroad to Nigeria, Africa and some other regions of the world as an essential aspect of military strategy which the Americans cannot ignore.

There has been widespread speculation on an international scale about the recent upsurge in China's bilateral and multilateral foreign policies which has seen other super powers, especially America, getting increasingly uneasy without openly admitting such. For instance, there is a lot of suspicion that one of the most critical factors that ultimately compelled the decision of the Americans to set up a U.S. Military Command in Africa is to checkmate China's inroad into the continent. But U.S. government officials have consistently denied such notions.

The 2007 Annual Report to Congress on the "Military power of the People's Republic of China" released by the U.S. Defence Department and recently made available, declares that "China's reliance on foreign energy imports has affected its strategy and policy in significant ways. It has pursued long-term energy supply agreements in Angola, Central Asia, Chad, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Venezuela."

The report added that "China has used economic aid, diplomatic favours and in some cases the sale of military technology to secure energy deal."

Lampooning the Chinese government and by extension some other countries, the Americans said China's desire to meet its energy needs, has led it to strengthen ties with countries "that defy international norms on issues ranging from human rights, support for international terrorism and proliferation." But the report did not mention such countries by name.

In last year's version of the same report in which Nigeria's name also featured, the American government noted under the sub-heading: "Communications and international contracts" that although China is still dependent on foreign providers like INTELSAT and INMARSAT, yet it is expanding on its indigenous capabilities, including marketing its own technology to include satellite development, manufacturing and launching services to the international market.

The report then stated: "China currently has two international contracts one with Nigeria and one with Venezuela for the design and manufacture of communication satellites based on their Dongfanghong-4 (DFH-4) spacecraft."

The report added that China may be developing "a system of data relay satellites to support global coverage, and has reportedly acquired mobile data reception equipment that could support more rapid data transmission to deployed military forces and units."

In 2005, under the same report, the Americans were focussed generally on China's inroad into Africa. Under the sub-heading: "Trends in China's strategy in the Asia-Pacific and other regions of the world," the report observed that in year 2003, China became the world's second largest consumer of oil, coming after the Americans themselves. It also said China became the third largest importer of oil.

According to the 2005 report, "as China's energy and resource needs grow, Beijing has concluded that access to these resources require special economic or foreign policy relationships in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America, "


The Nigerian Federal Government has been actively engaging the Chinese in what is believed to be mutual economic relationship of recent. Earlier this year, the Nigerian government sold half of 45 oil-exploration licences without any bids from oil firms in western countries including the U.S. China and India however won some top slots.

A U.S.-based energy journal, AfrikEnergy quoted an unnamed western diplomat in its July edition as saying "a lot of western oil companies backed out because all the prime acreage has gone to Indian and Chinese companies on right of first refusal."

Many such deals with the Chinese and the Indians are given in exchange for promises by those countries to help invest in Nigerian railways, refineries and chemical plants.

The concern of the Americans seems to border on what the 2007 report called "the limited knowledge of the motivations, decision-making and key capabilities supporting China's military modernisation."

Under the U.S. National Defence Authorisation Act of 2000, Section 1202 provides that the U.S. Secretary of Defence "shall submit a report on the current and future military strategy" of China. The acts mandate such a report to the U.S. Congress for the next 20 years beginning 2000.


(5 September 2007)

@McKren

Copying and pasting Laolu Akande's article doesn't answer the question-How does a US terror alert imply an attempt to thwart China's rising profile ?

Surely,you must be able to articulate in your own words why you think this terror alert is logically linked to US perception of China.There are US special forces in African countries like Djibouti and Mali where there are no apparent Chinese commercial interests.

This is what I don't get,the logical continuum between a US terror alert and China's rising profile.

I don't think a terror attack is likely but I do know Bin Laden and Al-Zawahiri have mentioned severally,Nigeria,as a nation Al-Qaeda is interested in.

Bin Laden on Al-Jazeera mentioned Nigeria as a country "worthy of jihad".If the US takes that seriously,that is hardly surprising

America and the CIA have always been known to be on one conspiracy or the other. Thats their game.

I dey feel u McKren, but i also understand ur point of view I-man. Where's the connection?

But havent events happened in the past that one cant make a logical conclusion to them? That's why they are conspiracies, cos it's far away from the obvious

I-Man

Nigeria has a new Government, and policy directions may change. A country like Nigeria is obviously of strategic interest to US. The terror alert might just be intended to seek the attention of Nigerian Government, thus creating fear and giving us more reasons to embrace US for protection Militarily. When this is achieved, negotiations will come up, quid pro quo will come up, some of which might include ousting the Chineese or anybody interested in the Nigerian market.

International politics is not black and white nor ABC. They are not straightforward and will never be. It is like asking someone to provide evidence that the war in Iraq is more about oil than anything.
You may never find proof for that but countries who understand the need to look after themselves consider all options before deciding what is of interest to their Nation.

Look at how you are talking about US having special forces in Djibouti and Mali, do those countries have special forces in US

Our priorities at all times must be looking after ourselves and protecting our National Interest.

How do you think America will react if Nigeria announces a terror alert in US.

Talking about conspiracies and logical link

China at the moment has a contract with Nigeria on space programme and other economic and security projects, office of US secretary of defence recently released a report  expressing concerns about China's activities in Nigeria, within the same period Nigerian embassy does a press release raising illogical international terrorist alert while emphasizing in the same release that most Nigerians and their governments are pro-US, the same day George Bush holds a special meeting with the Chineese leader over China's economic clout arround the globe.

Only a sleeping Nation will not add one and two together, if the activities of the CIA are meant to be that obvious and logical nobody will fall for it.

If America wants more stake in Nigeria they should invest more not using extra-ordinary means to undo those who are ready to invest in Nigeria.

McKren:

Nigeria has a new Government, and policy directions may change. A country like Nigeria is obviously of strategic interest to US. The terror alert might just be intended the seek the attention of Nigeria Government, thus creating fear and giving us more reasons to embrace US for protection Militarily. When this is achieved, negotiations will come up, quid pro quo will come up, some of which might include ousting the Chineese or anybody interested in the Nigerian market.

The above implies that Nigeria is dragging its foot over closer military ties with the US while the US has desperately sought such ties.The irony is that the reverse is the case.It was the same US that refused to sell arms to Nigeria,imploring the Govt to seek a peaceful solution to the Niger-Delta crisis.Same US that ruled out any such thing as a defence pact with Nigeria.

Closer commercial relations between Nigeria and China does not negatively affect the US.The US is by far the biggest investor in China and China is also one of the biggest investors in the US.Your posts just embody wild speculations about US motives symptomatic of anti-American paranoia which is fashionable these days.

How would the US benefit from restricting foreign investment in Nigeria when it is crucial to its interest that Nigeria stay stable and continues to grow.That is why the US lobbied for Nigeria's debts to be cancelled in the first place.If the US was desperate to stop Chinese growth,it might as well stop being the biggest investor in China and stop being China's largest single export market.Without US acquiescence,China will not grow in the first place and so the issue of their rising profile won't arise.

The US concern over China's policies in Africa is borne out of how China's growing energy dependence on Africa might affect China's strategic decision making.Darfur offers a good example where China's foreign policy has been dictated by its oil interests in Sudan.However,there is no indication that the US is in trepidation over this.

International politics is not black and white nor ABC. They are not straightforward and will never be. It is like asking someone to provide evidence that the war in Iraq is more about oil than anything.

So we are supposed to believe at whim the above without any logical explanation of how US oil interests are furthered by a military invasion? Cant is no substitute for proper analysis.

Look at how you are talking about US having special forces in Djibouti and Mali, do those countries have special forces in US?

So?The US has troops in Germany and Japan but neither of these have in the US.What's your point? Why were countries in Eastern Europe lobbying the US to move its military bases to their country while not insisting on reciprocity?

Our priorities at all times must be looking after ourselves and protecting our National Interest.
How do you think America will react if Nigeria announces a terror alert in US.

Nigeria is free to announce a terror alert in the US and we will all have a laugh about it.Since we can't provide electricity or even regular fuel supply to our selves,a terror alert will make it to Jon Stewarts late nite program

McKren:

Talking about conspiracies and logical link

China at the moment has a contract with Nigeria on space programme and other economic and security projects, office of US secretary of defence recently released a report  expressing concerns about China's activities in Nigeria, within the same period Nigerian embassy does a press release raising illogical international terrorist alert while emphasizing in the same release that most Nigerians and their governments are pro-US, the same day George Bush holds a special meeting with the Chineese leader over China's economic clout arround the globe.

Only a sleeping Nation will not add one and two together, if the activities of the CIA are meant to be that obvious and logical nobody will fall for it.

If America wants more stake in Nigeria they should invest more not using extra-ordinary means to undo those who are ready to invest in Nigeria.

This is nothing but paranoid conspiracy theories divorced from reality.Let me you ask a question.Are you one of those people who believe that the US or Jews had something to do with Sept 11?

Is the US not already by far the largest investor in Nigeria?Is the US not our largest export market?Was it not the US that helped cancell our debts in the first place?

China is actually reversing our foreign debt progress.-http://odili.net/news/source/2007/sep/4/419.htmlIn 20 years time,you will be moaning about China's conspiracy to indebt us.Remember our $32 billion debt started with a $2 billion debt

US is Nigeria's largest export market

What have we been exporting to them?

Crude oil?

or what is their largest investment in Nigeria? oil installations to extract just crude and send to America?

I think I rather debate Nigerian issues with Nigerians not pseudo-Americans

I don't think that this issue of Terrorism is limited to just people living in naija.

The connection with politics, oil, and empire expansion may be real, but more important is just how we can reduce mortality in case a major naija city is hit.

Bye the way, the news just reach naija today, so let's hope people we come up with ideas

McKren:

US is Nigeria's largest export market

What have we been exporting to them?

What else do we export? What is the single largest market for Nigeria's agricultural products?-The US

McKren:

or what is their largest investment in Nigeria? oil installations to extract just crude and send to America?

90% of all FDI in Nigeria goes to the energy industry irrespective of source.Is China's investments in Africa not concentrated in extractive industries so that they can ship back the raw materials to China?

McKren:

I think I rather debate Nigerian issues with Nigerians not pseudo-Americans

With the intellect of a paranoid conspiratorialist,rational debates eludes you.

Bin Laden himself said Nigeria is "worthy of jihad" in a videotape broadcast on Al-Jazeera.Zawahiri mentioned Nigeria as a place to be liberated by jihadists.

That is more of interest to Nigeria than spurious and inane conspiracy theories

It's a pity all these conspiracy theorists have latched onto this 'America fears China's Rise' stuff and relegate logic to the back seat.

I see no reason why this alert is viewed with suspicion. Even in the US, regular alerts are issued when threats are sensed. A quick look at the furore that followed the revelation that the CIA and FBi could possibly have prevented 9/11 if they had focused less on internal squabbling and more on co-operation. so now, each threat is taken seriously.

Those who say the US have no assets in Naija that's at risk have obviously forgotten the US embassy bombings in Kenya and Uganda (or is it Namibia?) in 1998.

As for those hailing the rise of Chinese interest in Africa, i pity them for their short-sightedness. All too soon we forget the human rights abuses perpetrated by the Chinese in Africa and Nigeria. At least we can predict the Americans, the Chinese are essentially a terrible group of people. lest y'all forget, the Chinese are the sole party responsible for the UN's inaction over the Darfur issue. Due to the fact that they've signed lucrative deals with the Sudanese Government, they frequently veto any bill that's aimed at sanctioning the Sudanese Govermnment.


@McKren
All the oil deals with China involve selling our oil blocs to a foreign government (represented by the China National Oil COmpany ). At least the 'Western Multinationals' are not government owned, and are here on a lease/contract basis.  Keep trumpeting our Government's regrettable decision to sell us to the Chinese.

@McKren
none of Mobil, Shell, Chevron, Total, Agip or Addax are owned by the American Government. So what exactly do you mean by

or what is their largest investment in Nigeria? oil installations to extract just crude and send to America?

Your 'pseudo-americans' comment just gave you away as one of the rabid haters here. Not everyone in Nigeria is truly anti-american.

There is an instinctive tendency to proffer conspiratorial explanations for US actions.This is borne out of the prevailing culture of anti-Americanism which is de rigueur in today's world and passes for reasoned discourse.

If someone claims to be a patriotic Nigerian,the person should be as much concerned about China's interest as they are with the US.China,like the US,does not conduct its foreign policy on a benevolent basis.I alluded to Darfur earlier.

The US faces threats to its interests from Islamist terror groups which are real as underlined by the terror attacks in Tanzania and Kenya.These threats were highlighted by comments made by Bin Laden and Zawahiri,both of whom refered to Nigeria.

To be dismissive of these issues and seek solace within the confines of wild conspiracies is tomfoolery

Conspiracy or not, does it prevent Nigerians from practicing drills on how to minimize casualty from an attack on cities like Lagos, PH, and Kano?

Let's not forget the Sokoto incident a couple of weeks ago, where a judge was killed by suspected al-quaida followers, and the security forces ended up demolishing a house or two in retaliation.

History of religious uprising in certain parts of naija makes for a very fertile ground to launch a massive terroristic attack on another naija city.

Talks about conspiracy divert attention from what we ought to be doing as a nation: educating our citizens on how to report suspicious cases, where to go if there is a massive attack, what to do for ones self and how to help others in case of emergency.

What is all these big grammar about ? That there might be terrorist strike in Nigeria and we are now consulting the Harvard and Oxford Dictionaries to bring out the most high falutin English words ever coined in human history 

I don't care about conspiratorialist theories or the checkmating of rising China's profile in Global Politics and Economics.
All I care about is, are we prepared for a terrorist strike on Nigeria ?
The answer is NO
Then lets get prepapred and live the politicians and political scientists to hazard a guess as to what America is up to with it's threat announcement.

_{Did I complain about big grammar ?} 

@funloving

Thanks a lot. I could not have said it better.

What are going to do if an American/Chinese/al-quaida/Russian/who-knows-who inspired terrorist attack hits Nigeria on a massive scale

@funloving

Thanks a lot. I could not have said it better.

What are going to do if an American/Chinese/al-quaida/Russian/who-knows-who inspired terrorist attack hits Nigeria on a massive scale

May be you guys want to know the impact of Islamic Jihadists on the larger Niaja population. Ask Igbos living in Northern Nigeria how they've survived the perennial killing and destruction. It will be the same modus operandi with more lethal weapons against a larger target.

BlackMamba:

May be you guys want to know the impact of Islamic Jihadists on the larger Niaja population. Ask Igbos living in Northern Nigeria how they've survived the perennial killing and destruction. It will be the same modus operandi with more lethal weapons against a larger target.

Exactly what I'm saying.
Anyone thinking terrorism is new to Nigeria needs a reality check.
Nigeria has been a fertile ground for jihadists,we cannot be fooled.
This time it won't just be the kaffir non Hausa Muslims.
Bombs don't choose their targets.