U.S. relaxes terror warning as Nigerian government stages protest

United States Embassy in Nigeria Wednesday released a security update which relaxed the emergency warning it issued at the weekend in which it warned US citizens to avoid certain luxury hotels in Abuja.

The security update is coming on the heels of a letter sent by the Nigerian embassy in Washington DC to the State Department to protest the emergency warning.

Thisday could, however, not confirm if there is a nexus between the new update by the embassy and the protest letter sent by Nigeria to the US government.

In the emergency message issued on November 5, 2011, following deadly attacks in Damaturu and Potiskum by Boko Haram which claimed over 100 lives, US embassy in Nigeria had warned its citizens to avoid three major hotels in Abuja - NICON Luxury, the Sheraton Hotel, and the Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

The embassy had said that it had received information that Boko Haram could attack several locations and hotels in Abuja during the Sallah holiday.

But in a new security update yesterday, the US embassy said since it issued the emergency warning, it had continued to monitor closely the threat posed by the sect and had also noticed the increased security checks by the Nigerian government.

It therefore added that US government personnel were no longer instructed to avoid the three hotels.

The statement however urged US citizens to maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance their personal security.

The latest statement posted on the embassy's website reads: "The US Mission in Nigeria issues the following emergency message regarding the current security situation for the attention of all US citizens in Abuja, Nigeria.

"The US Embassy continues to monitor closely the ongoing threat posed by an extremist group and their stated intention to carry out attacks against the Nigerian Government and western interests in Nigeria.

"The Embassy notes that increased security checks at major hotels, government facilities, and along major roadways over the recent Sallah holiday have improved the security environment to the general public. As a result, and with the Sallah holiday over, the Embassy is updating its warning to US citizens.

"US Government personnel are no longer instructed to avoid the NICON Luxury, the Sheraton Hotel, and the Transcorp Hilton Hotel. However, the Embassy reminds all US citizens to maintain a high level of vigilance and personal awareness, particularly in and around Abuja, FCT, near Nigerian government facilities, diplomatic missions, large gathering places, hotels, markets and malls, and places of worship.

"We advise all US citizens to review their personal security plans, remain aware of their surroundings, including local events, monitor local news stations for updates, and report specific incidences of targeted violence to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or the US Consulate General in Lagos at the numbers below."

In its protest letter sent to the State Department yesterday, Nigeria maintained that the emergency message was badly timed, unwarranted and conflicts with the active collaboration of the security agencies of both countries to tackle the hydra-headed problem of terrorism.

Sources at the Nigerian embassy in Washington and the State Department told THISDAY that Nigeria maintained that such a warning had the potential of impacting negatively on the confidence reposed in the collaboration of the security agencies of both countries.

The protest letter was also said to have cited the implications that the emergency warning would have on the 17th Nigerian Economic Summit, billed to kick off today in Abuja.

The summit, which has as its theme, "Attracting Foreign Direct Investment through Global Partnerships", is billed to be flagged off by President Goodluck Jonathan and is expected to be attended by public and private sector leaders from around the world.

Nigeria was said to have further stated in the protest letter that while every country had its peculiar security challenges, the nation's security agencies and partners around the world were working around the clock to tackle the current security challenges facing the nation.

It however noted that such emergency warning issued by the US could further embolden the extremist sect and make it bask in the euphoria of scaring investors away from Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government has said it is not losing the fight against Boko Haram despite the spate of attacks launched by members of the sect recently which led to heavy casualty.

The Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, after yesterday's meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), said the security agencies had made considerable progress in the fight against terror and not every piece of information could be revealed.

He said President Jonathan was not losing the fight against Boko Haram or terrorism, pointing out that every week, he meets with heads of security agencies to review the situation while still going ahead with the counter offensives.

Maku said the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Owoye Azazi, had responded to issues bordering on the attacks, pointing out that the security agencies had not only gone into the offensive, but had also made arrests "though not all that has been achieved would be put in the public domain".

This Day

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China to make Nigeria major manufacturing zone

Nigeria and China yesterday agreed to explore making Nigeria a major manufacturing hub for China's key industrial enterprises according to the Director, Chongqing Liangjing New Area, China.

Mr. Weng Jieming, in a statement from Mrs. Yemi Kolapo Special Adeviser, Corporate Communications to the Minister of Trade & Investment Olusegun Aganga said Chongqing has five key industries, including automobiles and motorcycles, petroleum and natural gas, equipment manufacture, new materials and high-tech industry, which had key investments in many countries of the world.

He said, apart from encouraging companies in Chongqing to export their goods to Nigeria, the government would also "support the companies, especially in the motorcycle and automobiles industry, to make direct investments in Nigeria for local production."

He said this yesterday when the Minister of Trade, Olusegun Aganga, visited Chongqing, the largest and most important industrial city at the upper reaches of Yangtze River and Southwest China. It consists of China's major Free Trade Zones, which contribute about 20 per cent of the nation's Gross Domestic Product.

Jieming noted that the largest investments in Ghana were made by companies from Chongqing, adding that fostering such a relationship with Nigeria would be beneficial to both countries.

Nigeria's trade and investment minister had said, during a meeting with his counterpart at the Ministry of Commerce, China, Mr. Fu Ziying, that making Nigeria a major manufacturing zone for most of China's products would go a long way in correcting the trade imbalance between the two countries and creating jobs for Nigerians.

Aganga said the availability of raw materials and a ready market in Nigeria for "quality" Chinese products would make the deal a win-win situation for both countries.

He urged Chinese companies, to invest in critical infrastructure in Nigeria, noting that local industries in Nigeria would also benefit from the improved business environment that would result from sound infrastructure.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government and the Chinese government have agreed to ensure that the Lekki Free Trade Zone commences full operation in 18 months.

The President, China Railway Construction Corporation Limited, Mr. Zhao Guangfa, during a meeting with Aganga on Tuesday night, urged the Federal Government to remove the bottlenecks hindering the progress of the Lekki Free Trade Zone project, noting that such projects initiated at about the same time in other countries had been completed.

Consequently, a committee, made up of representatives of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce and CRCC, was constituted to review the underlying problems and resolve the issues with a view to completing the project between 12 and 18 months.

Daily Trust

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Nigeria to outlaw same sex marriage

The Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters recently organised the third public hearing on the same gender marriage (Prohibition) Bill 2011. Sponsored by Domingo Obende, Helen Esuene, Mohammed Magoro, Oluremi Tinubu and 20 other senators, the bill is specifically aimed at the outright prohibition of same sex marriage in Nigeria.

The bill defines marriage as a legal union between persons of the opposite sex in accordance with the Marriage Act, Islamic and Customary laws. The Bill also stipulates that any persons who entered into a same sex marriage contract in Nigeria commits an offence and are jointly liable on conviction to a term of three years imprisonment. Equally those who abet or aid the "solemnisation" of marriage between two persons of the same sex are guilty and liable upon conviction.

Beyond the sodomy laws and the unnatural offences between males stipulated in the criminal code in Nigeria, the bill, if passed into law, would have the effect of specifically banning Nigerian homosexuals and lesbians from entering into a marriage contract and from adopting children. It would also prohibit registration of gay clubs, societies and organisations; prohibition of gay publicity, procession and public displays of such amorous relationship through the electronic media or print media and so forth. Without prejudice to whatever rights and protections citizens may seek under the law, we heartily commend the senators for sponsoring the aforesaid bill. Contrary to some views, the same gender marriage (Prohibition) bill 2011 is crucial to national development because it seeks to protect the traditional family which is the fundamental unit of society, especially in our country.

As many of the participants at the public hearing rightly stated, homosexual and lesbian practices are completely at variance with the Nigerian value system and cultural heritage. And since laws are made in consonant with the values of a people, it will be difficult to import practices and lifestyles which are alien to our country and majority of our people and seek to impose them as laws in the name of observing international obligation.

Pursuant to section 4(1) (2) of the 1999 Constitution, our federal legislators are enjoined to make good laws that conform to the social and religious realities in the country. In fact the only way to avoid chaos in a society is for the legislature to make laws that accord with the values and aspiration of the people. Our people are clearly opposed to a sexual liberation which deconstructs the anthropological (and we add, religious) structure of man and woman.

However, to press home their case at the public hearing, the pro-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTI) advocates argued that there is a culture of hypocrisy surrounding the practice of homosexuality and lesbianism in Nigeria. According to them, many Nigerian homosexuals and lesbians (in high and low places) are afraid of disclosing their identity in public for fear of persecution and discrimination. They argued further that homosexual and lesbian practices are not unnatural and that Nigerian homosexuals and lesbians should be allowed to freely live their sexual orientation. To therefore punish them for "loving" is to violate their fundamental rights protected under both local and international laws, they said.

While agreeing that opposition to homosexual and lesbian practices in Nigeria sometimes smack of hypocrisy, we would like to state that the so-called "rights" being sought are unfounded under the Nigerian laws and unacceptable in most countries. Sections 37 and 38 of our 1999 Constitution guaranteeing right to privacy and right to freedom of conscience and religion are curtailed by section 45(1) of the same constitution to the effect that nothing in those sections "shall invalidate any laws that are reasonable justifiable in a democratic society in the interest of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health".

Homosexual and lesbians practices are considered offensive to public morality in Nigeria. Besides, at no time was any agreement reached that homosexual and lesbian "rights" should become international laws binding on all nations.

This Day

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Man hangs himself 4 days before wedding

What would have turned out to be a joyous mood for the family of Ezeala and the people of Umuezealaegbe, Umuduru in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State became a tragedy as their 25- year -old son, Mr. Adindu Ezeala, allegedly hanged himself four days to his traditional marriage to his heartthrob.

An eye witness from the community also informed LEADERSHIP that Adindu had disappeared from his family compound on October 25 without a word to any of his family members.

Thinking that it was one of his usual time out, the witness added that no member of the family suspected anything coupled with the fact that his motorbike, which he goes to a far distance with, was still parked in the compound.

But the bubble burst the following day when his younger brother walked down the hill behind their compound to answer the call of nature and saw the lifeless body of his elder brother hanging helplessly on a tree.

The father of the deceased, Mr. Lawrence Ezeala, who narrated what happened, described his son as a well behaved child and wondered why he could take his own life.

He added that his son had before his suicide mission, kept N100,000 on his table, which was assumed to be the bride price for his wife, a bank note and his motorbike keys.

When contacted, the Imo State Police command, said investigation into the matter was ongoing.

Leadership

Student bathed with acid after rejecting dating request needs N24 million ($151,390) for treatment

A 100 level student of the Federal University of Technology, Yola, Miss Franca Ogbu, who was bathed with acid on May 5, 2011, is still lying critically ill in a hospital bed as a result of the dehumanising treatment meted on her by her fellow student.

Speaking with newsmen in Makurdi, Nick Eworo, member, representing Obi Constituency in the Benue State's House of Assembly, said Miss Ogbu, who was bathed with acid while she was reading in her school, would need over N24 million to receive medical treatment from Canada to correct the acid burns.

According to Eworo, the victim, Miss Ogbu, was ill treated simply because she turned down an approach from a fellow student who needed her friendship.

Eworo disclosed that even though the police arrested the culprit, information reaching him indicated that he was later released for reasons yet to be made known to the public.

He urged the Benue State's government to liaise with her Adamawa counterpart and investigate the matter thoroughly and bring the culprit to book immediately.

He also urged the law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts in the investigation of the matter and bring the perpetrator of the act to justice.

Eworo further enjoined the government of Benue to immediately intervene and assist the victim with finance to enable her receive good medical treatment.

Eworo also called on his colleagues to do an in-house donation to enable the victim receive some medication and thereafter, prevailed on the executive to do same.

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