Today, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Nigeria to meet President Goodluck Jonathan.
She was expected to offer assistance in helping the country stop a worsening Islamist insurgency. Her visit to Nigeria comes under growing pressure to stop the violence in the northern and central regions of the country.
"Clinton will be renewing our offers of assistance and help to the Nigerians," a senior State Department official said. "This is a problem for Nigeria, but also, northern Nigeria borders Cameroon, it borders Niger. We are concerned that this kind of radical network could undermine the security of neighbouring states."
The US offer of assistance is to include helping to develop Nigeria's investigative procedures, including forensics, according to the official.
Washington would also be willing to help Nigeria develop an intelligence coordination centre that would assist the country in integrating information, the official said.
Clinton will spend several hours in the Nigerian capital Abuja before travelling to Ghana for the funeral of president John Atta Mills, who died on July 24. She has been on an African tour since July 31, having already visited Senegal, Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa. She is also expected to briefly visit Benin.
She was expected to offer assistance in helping the country stop a worsening Islamist insurgency. Her visit to Nigeria comes under growing pressure to stop the violence in the northern and central regions of the country.
"Clinton will be renewing our offers of assistance and help to the Nigerians," a senior State Department official said. "This is a problem for Nigeria, but also, northern Nigeria borders Cameroon, it borders Niger. We are concerned that this kind of radical network could undermine the security of neighbouring states."
The US offer of assistance is to include helping to develop Nigeria's investigative procedures, including forensics, according to the official.
President Goodluck Jonathan & US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
"We
can help them develop mechanisms for tracking and determining
individuals who are likely to be engaged in supporting Boko Haram
actively," the official said.Washington would also be willing to help Nigeria develop an intelligence coordination centre that would assist the country in integrating information, the official said.
Clinton will spend several hours in the Nigerian capital Abuja before travelling to Ghana for the funeral of president John Atta Mills, who died on July 24. She has been on an African tour since July 31, having already visited Senegal, Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa. She is also expected to briefly visit Benin.
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