NATIONAL NEWS

Updated: Saturday, January 09, 2010

Bomb incident is not sufficient to criminalise Nigerians
– Lawyer

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Alleged attempt by a 23-year-old Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab,  to blow up an American airline on Dec. 25, 2009 is not sufficient justification for the U.S to put Nigerians on its watch list.

Mr Dare Esan, Vice Chairman of Ikeja Branch of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos yesterday.

He said that it was wrong for the U.S to criminalise all Nigerians because of the offence of “one misplaced individual”.

The U.S. government on Monday placed Nigeria on the list of nations involved in terrorist activities because of the botched attempt by a Nigerian, Farouk Abdulmutallab, to bomb a Delta Airline plane.

Esan, however, warned that Nigeria lacked the strength to call the bluff of the U.S and advised that rather the country should negotiate its de-listing.

According to him, Nigeria successfully called the bluff of the West under the Murtala/Obasanjo and Buhar/Idiagbon administrations but “our current overdependence on them makes this difficult now”.

“A country that desires respect does not overly depend on others. Nigeria is an appendage of the West, we import everything from them,” Esan said.

He said that a dependent country could not be taken seriously by the international community and advised Nigerian leaders to show greater commitment to the development of the country.

The lawyer said that the current treatment being meted to Nigeria by the U.S might not be unconnected to actions of some former Nigerian leaders which had eroded U.S respect for Nigeria.  

Dialogue, checks, ingredients of democracy – Speaker

©2005 New Nigerian Newspapers Limited.