POLITICS-NIGERIA: More Vigilance Needed Against Terrorism

By Toye Olori Reprint | | Print |

Toye Olori

LAGOS, Aug 12 1998 (IPS) - It is business as usual at the U.S. embassy located in Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos, where crowds of more than 500 people seeking entry visas are constantly chased back by security men brandishing horsewhips.

Nigerians are aware of the twin bombings in Kenya and Tanzania last week at U.S. embassies in those countries, leaving more than 200 people dead and over 5000 injured. But the incidents have not had an effect on the day-to-day business at the embassy here, where there has always been heightened security due to the threat of armed robberies.

“I am aware of the bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, but this has not changed activities here. I don’t think it can happen here,” says Tunde Akande, who was among those waiting to enter the embassy’s visa section.

“The embassy has its own security, and a detachment of Nigerian police is always around, because of the different embassies located on this street,” he added.

But other Nigerians interviewed are not as confident as Akande about the West African nation’s ability to combat terrorism on its own soil, and have called on the government to be vigilant.

“Nigeria has to take extra precautions on the influx of foreigners. The government should be security conscious especially around foreign embassies in the country and at the borders and airports,” says Chris Ekenedion.

“Though it is not in Nigerians’ character to resort to terrorism to fight a cause, the foreign perpetrators can do it right here if our security is lax,” he adds.

Latest reports from the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam say that the government there has arrested 14 people — six Sudanese, six Iraqis, one Somalia and one Turk — in connection with last Friday’s bomb attack.

“Nigeria has the capabilities to put security around the embassies and airports to prevent such a thing from happening here,” Ekenedion says.

Nigerian political analyst Bimbo Segun says the attacks on U.S. embassies on African soil may usher in a new trend that would add more trouble to the continent’s political turmoil.

“It is calamitous for Africa, because the continent in this century has been the centre of wars and the addition of terrorism is disastrous,” she says.

“Terrorism is not something that has been happening in Africa. The technology is not available in Africa, but (now) the United States being the policeman of the world has itsthe attacks in the two East African nations mark the first time that U.S. embassies have been bombed in Africa.