US committed to supporting Nigeria on security

The United States further reiterated its resolve to remain committed to working with Nigeria toward securing a future for the country that ensures stability, civilian security and provides for the well-being of Nigerians.This was made known yesterday in Abuja by the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Wendy R. Sherman, at the opening […]

The United States further reiterated its resolve to remain committed to working with Nigeria toward securing a future for the country that ensures stability, civilian security and provides for the well-being of Nigerians.
This was made known yesterday in Abuja by the US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Wendy R. Sherman, at the opening of the US-Nigeria Binational Commission regional security cooperation working group where she promised US continuous investment in Nigeria’s institutions, people and businesses.  
She said: “Nigeria faces several challenges to national and regional stability.  The largest of these challenges is, of course, a Boko Haram-led insurgency operating in the country’s northeast that has created widespread insecurity across northern Nigeria, increased tensions between various ethnic communities, interrupted development activities, frightened off investors, and generated concerns among Nigeria’s northern neighbours.  Nigeria cannot fully achieve its potential as a stable regional leader until Nigeria successfully overcomes the challenge of Boko Haram and secures peace and protection for all its citizens in all regions.”
“We know that Boko Haram offers no practical solutions to northern Nigeria’s problems.  Instead, create chaos and make Nigeria ungovernable.  Today, I hope that our teams can identify specific areas in the context of regional security where we can deepen our partnership and chart concrete steps forward on those topics on which we are already working together,” she added.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Martin Uhomoibhi, said the aim of the meeting was to address emerging common and severe threat as well as looking for new avenues to increase security cooperation by examining ways to strengthen existing relations and ongoing efforts between the two countries.
In a communique issued at the end of the meeting both countries acknowledged that terrorism poses a threat to Nigeria’s national development, regional stability, and global security.
 In this regard, they expressed commitment to further improve and support measures put in place by the Nigerian government to address the security challenges.
 Both countries will seek to collaborate on communications strategies to engage communities in Nigeria on issues of peace and security.
The Nigerian government affirmed its commitment to further enhance the professional capacity of the security forces to respond to internal conflicts and extremist violence while protecting human rights.  As part of this effort, the U.S. Government affirmed its commitment to assist the Nigerian Police Force to identify areas of increased partnership.
Recognizing a joint desire to further strengthen bilateral relations, the two countries resolved to partake in more persistent engagement and cooperation on security matters, working through the United States Embassy in Abuja.  
The two countries will follow up on these commitments and seek further collaboration to address the challenges identified in the regional security cooperation while they plan to seek participation from the private sector, civil society, local governments, and other democratic partner countries in the next meeting of the regional security cooperation working group.