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President Muhammadu Buhari (R), with U.S Envoy/ Deputy Secretary of State, Mr Anthony Blinken at the Presidential, Villa Abuja.
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As part of measures to support the anti corruption stance of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the United States is considering banning corrupt government officials indicted of soiling their hands in public tills, from entering its territory.
Other ways the U.S. said it would assist the present government in tackling sleaze, also
include training, mentoring, advising investigators and prosecutors in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other agencies involved in dealing with corruption.
This is in addition to supporting civil societies, journalists, faith-based organisations, labour unions, professional associations and other credible organisations as watch dogs to get involved in solving the problem.
The U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, who is on a weeklong visit to Nigeria to help prepare for President Buhari’s visit to Washington on July 20, made these disclosures yesterday at the American Embassy, Abuja during a press briefing.
Blinken explained that the partnership the U.S. is forging with Nigeria is based on mutual interests and mutual respect, as well as grounded in the proposition that, “our relationship is defined not by what the United States can do for Nigeria, but rather what the United States can do with Nigeria.”
Fielding questions on the issue of corruption, the envoy said: “We had good discussions yesterday with the President and Vice President and members of the cabinet about the direction and the work the President is beginning to undertake to recover the looted funds. First of all, he is committed to everything he has been saying about corruption. “From what the President said, this is a priority project for him and we heard that again from him yesterday.
How we can help him achieve this is this, it is basically capacity building for training, mentoring, advising investigators, prosecutors in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other agencies involved in dealing with corruption.
“We can also help in investigations internationally, with assets recovery. Beyond the government, we are supporting the civil societies, journalists and other credible organisations as watch dogs to getting at this problem. If necessary we are ready to deny entry into the U.S. all those who are involved in corruption.”
Blinken also disclosed that there was no limitations on President Buhari concerning the wish lists he would like to take to Washington for the meeting with President Obama.
“We will want to have these conversations and any ideas that Nigeria has and any requests it makes, we will sit down and talk about it and we will do it,” he added.
On the issue of the fight against Boko Haram, Blinken said the United States strongly condemns the recent attacks that have taken hundreds of lives in some cases within the sanctuaries of churches and mosques.
He said: “Defeating Boko Haram requires a comprehensive approach that involves the region and includes not only a strong military response, but also sustainable security for liberated areas, good governance, development, and opportunity for the civilian population.
“It also requires a strong commitment to human rights, the absence of which only alienates the people and drives them toward Boko Haram.”
Commenting on specific support of the U.S. to Nigeria in this area, the envoy disclosed that his country has been providing training, equipment, advice, information and intelligence sharing to the military.
According to him, the U.S. only recently, established a $40m fund to global security contingency fund, as part of its joint efforts with the Lake Chad Basin countries to strengthen cross border security, cooperation and capacity to counter Boko Haram, in addition to contributing about $5m in tithe to the multinational joint task force to which, Nigerian is a part of.
Blinken disclosed that another critically and important support that America is providing is humanitarian assistance, to which the U.S. has committed $137m.
The money he said would be used in addressing the challenges of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, by helping in moving them back to their homes and communities.