By Toye Olori
LAGOS, Mar 17 1999 (IPS)

U.S. government may soon resume aid to Nigeria, five years after it suspended funding following the West African country’s failure to combat drug trafficking.

Last month the U.S. authorities commended Nigeria for the good work it has done in fighting drug trafficking.

“The vital national interests of the U.S., requires that Nigeria be certified in order that assistance, otherwise withheld…might be provided to improve cooperation on counter- narcotic and other crimes evident during recent months,” said a statement by the US state department.

The certificate, a sort of a clean bill of health, which qualifies a country for U.S. assistance, was cancelled in 1994 on allegations that the administration of the late dictator Gen. Sani Abacha was not cooperating with the U.S. officials in the fight against drug trafficking.

With the certificate reinstated last week, Nigeria now stands a chance of receiving grants and other supports such as training, equipment and exchange of experts from the United States in the fight against drug trafficking.

Nigeria turned a pariah state under Abacha whose regime marked the worst human rights abuses in the history of the West African country.

However, records show that Nigeria under Gen. Abacha recorded huge successes in the war against drug trafficking through the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Between 1994 and 1998, the NDLEA arrested 7,574 persons for various drug-related offences and seized 90,000 kilogrammes of drugs.

The agency secured conviction in 3,148 cases with 73 acquittals during the course of prosecution.

The United States, which was openly opposed to Abacha’s policy, appears to have relied more on political consideration than on the efforts to curb the drug menace, when it announced the plan to resume cooperation with Nigeria last month.

The resumption of relations come as Gen. Abdulsalaam Abubakar, who took over as Nigeria’s Head of State after the sudden death of Gen. Abacha in June last year, has vowed to combat drug trafficking.

“New Head of State General Abubakar’s strong public stand against narcotics trafficking and other crimes was a welcome change from past indifference, but it has not yet resulted in new policies or action,” the US state department said.

It noted, however, that the Nigerian government reaffirmed the existing bilateral bases for extradition, but had not yet concluded any extraditions by the end of 1998, while the 1995 National Drug Strategy remains unimplemented.

The U.S. also complained that the Nigerian law enforcement officers continued to suffer from lack of material support, insufficient training and widespread corruption.

Nigeria’s efforts to curb drug trafficking through the NDLEA has, however, been commended by the United Nations.

Sharic bin Raza, who is United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) representative in Nigeria, said “all initiatives taken by Nigeria in drug control are commendable.”

The efforts include mobilisation of communities and the integration of drug abuse prevention in the school curriculum. Arrest of a number of drug traffickers and collaboration with other countries.

“The UNDCP board notes the existence of sub-regional legal cooperation instruments, such as the treaties of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on extradition, mutual legal assistance and the transfer of prisoners,” Raza said, while presenting the 1998 report on narcotics control in Lagos last month.

NDLEA chairman, Ogbonaya Onovo, also has welcomed the certification of Nigeria and promised to consolidate the gains already made by his agency and ensure that Nigeria remains certified.

“All areas of shortcomings noted by the U.S. would be seriously looked into. The certification shows the activities of the NDLEA are being recognised and we would strive to maintain and sustain them,” he told IPS.

Excerpt: