Naija News

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged Nigerian
authorities Thursday to boost their intelligence capabilities to
better combat growing extremist violence.

Clinton is proposing that Nigeria create an "intelligence fusion cell"
that would combine information from the military, spy services, police
and other federal, state and local agencies. The cell would also
coordinate counter-terrorism activities and serve as a contact for
foreign intelligence services, said State Department officials.

The officials said the US was ready to assist the cell with
organizational expertise, training and equipment, including computers,
and would offer the aid to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and
his new national security adviser, Mohammed Dasuki, on whom the US has
high hopes for expanded intelligence cooperation.

The officials were speaking on condition of anonymity because Clinton
had not begun her meetings with Nigerian officials yet.

The US has become increasingly concerned about the threat posed by
militant groups in west Africa such as the Islamist Boko Haram in
Nigeria and cells of al-Qaeda linked fighters in northern Mali.

The security situation in Nigeria has deteriorated to the point where
the movement of US embassy workers is often restricted. Clinton will
spend only about five hours on the ground and will not spend the night
in Abuja, where the hotel traditionally used by visiting US
dignitaries has been the target of terrorist threats.

After her meeting with Jonathan and Dasuki, Clinton expressed the US
commitment to Nigeria.

"We intend to remain supportive of your reform effort. We are very
supportive of the anti-corruption efforts. We really believe that the
future for Nigeria is limitless," Clinton said.

A US official said later that the Nigerians were very interested in
creating the intelligence fusion cell. The US agreed to send a team to
Nigeria soon to help them set up the counterterrorist operation. The
official spoke on condition of anonymity because the official wasn't
authorized to publicly discuss a public meeting.

Boko Haram seeks the strict implementation of Shariah, or Islamist
law, across Nigeria. The terrorist group is held responsible for more
than 650 deaths this year alone according to an Associated Press count

The group's gain in strength and lethality has led some US lawmakers
to demand that Boko Haram be designated a "foreign terrorist
organization" and subjected to enhanced sanctions. The Obama
administration has said it is reviewing the case but notes that
numerous individual members are already on US financial blacklists.

American officials also worry that Boko Haram's rise might destabilize
the broader region, particularly in Mali, where Islamist militants are
taking advantage of a post-coup power vacuum to sow unrest in the
north.

Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, plays a dominant leadership
role in West Africa and Clinton will be urging the country to continue
to support regional peacekeeping and stabilization efforts.

In addition to security matters, Clinton was discussing good
governance, rule of law and corruption with Nigerian officials.

Nigeria is plagued with endemic corruption and after meeting the
president, Clinton was to speak to members of an anticorruption
league.

Oil-rich Nigeria is the 5th leading exporter of oil to the United
States and officials said Clinton would raise the importance of
approving new petroleum legislation designed to attract more foreign
investment. Clinton's brief stop in Nigeria comes as she winds down an
11-day, 9-nation tour of Africa that began in Senegal and has then
taken her to Uganda, South Sudan, Kenya, Malawi and South Africa. She
will wrap up the Africa portion of her trip in Ghana, where she will
attend the state funeral for the late President John Atta Mills who
died in late July, and Benin.

After Benin, Clinton will fly to Turkey for talks on the growing
crisis in Syria.

-AP