Abuja: Nigeria has created special
anti-terror squads and approved the deployment of special air
marshals on US-bound flights after a recent botched attempt by
a Nigerian to blow-up an American transatlantic plane.
Vice President Jonathan Goodluck has told a visiting
team from the United States that the country has stepped up
security measures at the US-bound flights.
The country has created special anti-terrorism squads
and has approved the deployment of special air marshals on
US-bound flights in response to the Christmas day bombing
attempt of an airplane going to Detroit, the US team was told.
US Deputy Secretary for Homeland Security Jane Holl
Lute who visited the country with some other officials was
also told by Jonathan to urge her country to de-list Nigeria
as a "country of interest" on the war against terrorism.
Following the attempted bomb attempt by a Nigerian
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the country was included in the
list of those whose citizens must be made to undergo extra
scrutiny at US airports.
"Nigeria`s position on the global war on terror is
clear and that the country has stood shoulder to shoulder with
the US in the effort to combat the scourge," Jonathan said.
According to the vice president who stood in for
President Umaru Musa Yar?Adua who has been in hospital in
Saudi Arabia for more than a month, of the 16 international
anti-terrorism legislations, Nigeria has ratified nine and was
on the verge of passing an anti-terrorism law before the
incidence.
Lute said the purpose of her visit was to seek for
enhancement of aviation safety to assure travellers between
Nigeria and US of secured travels.
She assured the vice president that his message will
be conveyed to the government of the US praising the country’s
peacekeeping efforts around the world.
Ties between Nigeria and the US became threatened
after the failed bombing and inclusion of the African country
on the watch list as some top government officials started
talking of severing diplomatic relations with America.
Senator Uche Chukwumerije called the action of the
US an over reaction.
The Nigerian legislators are still debating on what
actions to take after the classification by the US.
PTI
