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.
PUNCH
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