‘America not working for Nigeria’s disintegration’ - US Consulate General

Consul-General of the United States Consulate- General in Lagos Joseph Stafford yesterday said the American government has nothing to do with a report, which predicted that Nigeria would disintegrate by 2015.

He spoke yesterday during a visit to the head office of Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation.

Stafford, who was accompanied by an Information Specialist in the Consulate-General, Mr Femi Omowunmi, said: “I don’t know where the idea that we think that Nigeria is going to disintegrate by 2015 came from. No, we do not believe that. And we are not working for the disintegration of Nigeria.


“On the contrary, we believe that the people of Nigeria are committed to the fundamental unity of the country and we support that wholeheartedly. The idea of Nigeria, disintegrating, dismembering, is nonsense to us.“

Stafford described the Boko Haram as “a domestic extremist loose group comprising of different factions.” He said the group may have external links with al-qaeda and other groups outside the country.

“A lot still has to be learnt about the nature of those links,” he said.

He advised that responding to the challenge posed by Boko Haram “requires a comprehensive strategy that involves more than just security.” He added: “Responding to the violence in the North is protecting the civilians that are in the areas where Boko Haram operates. There is the issue of respecting their rights at the same time so that they are not caught in the crossfire. And it is important to address the underlining socio-economic grievances that can give rise to extremism as represented by these elements of Boko Haram.”

Speaking on the US’s position on the growing influence of the Chinese in African economy, Stafford said:  “We compete with foreign firms, whether Chinese, Western European, and so we have no sense of alarm over their role. We believe that US firms can continue to compete effectively with Chinese and other firms.”

He said a level-playing field where US companies are treated equally with other foreign companies was needed.

According to him, what the US craves for is a, “a suitable business environment in which the sanctity of contracts is upheld, rights to investors are upheld and there is a level playing field for competition.”

On  piracy and smuggling, he said: “The US Navy has also provided maritime surveillance, installations, equipment, at different ports in Nigeria.”

Referring to the bi-national commission established in 2010 to bring senior officials from both countries to discuss on issues such as security, governance, democracy and transparency, energy and investment, food security, public health, and the Niger Delta, Stafford said: “We want to do everything we can to promote Nigeria’s leadership role.”