Through its Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, the United States (U.S.) urged the federal and the Lagos State governments to give due attention to the #EndSARS panels’ reports.
Blinking, who spoke during a joint press conference with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, at the Presidential Villa, also charged the government to attend the grievances of victims of security agents’ brutality.
The U.S. official spoke after holding separate meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Onyeama. He signed some agreements during the meetings.
Blinken also informed that his country was working with Nigeria to address security challenges.
He said: “We’re working with Nigeria to address security challenges, including those posed by Boko Haram, ISIS West Africa and other terrorist and extremist groups. In meetings with the President, with the Vice President, with the foreign minister, we discussed the importance of a comprehensive approach that builds effective security forces, addresses the underlying drivers of extremism, and respects Nigerians basic human rights.
“The U.S. is committed to helping Nigeria do that by continuing to invest in our security partnership, and the institutions that strengthen the rule of law, and that hold accountable those who commit human rights abuses, corruption and other acts that harm the Nigerian people. By tackling these issues, we can help to address some of the problems that have been key drivers of insecurity.
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“To that end, let me say that we welcome the conclusion of the investigation by the independent inquiry established by the Lagos State government to look into the events that took place at Lekki Tollgate in Lagos, in October of 2020, and this, of course, was amidst the #EndSARS protest, including the killings and other alleged abuses by the security forces.
“We anticipate and look to the state and the federal government’s response to the findings, and expect those to include steps that ensure accountability and address the grievances of the victims and their families.
“We’re also working closely with Nigeria to help the populations most affected by conflict and violence in the country, particularly in the Northeast, where the United States is providing vital humanitarian aid to approximately 2.2 million internally displaced Nigerians.
“The U.S. continues to build the capacity, together with Nigeria, of the military, including through the recent delivery of 12 A29 Super Tucano aircrafts, but capacity building goes much deeper than delivering military hardware, something that we talked about as well.
“We’re also providing more human rights and rule of law training because the military and civilian security forces are more effective when they act in accordance with these values. It’s crucial that Nigeria hold accountable members of the military who commit abuses.”
Blinken urged the government to ensure the safety and wellbeing of groups involved in human rights advocacy, including journalists, rights crusaders and others.
He said: “I look very much forward to meeting several of these leaders tomorrow, including faith leaders who are defusing communal tensions, and promoting peace. And we look forward to Nigeria, Africa’s largest democracy joining the summit for democracy next month.
“All participants from the government, civil society will make commitments to improve and strengthen democracy in our respective countries and strengthen the partnership among democratic nations.
“The range of issues that we’re working on together is vast, but given the interests we share, and the challenges we have in common, delivering for our people demands that we find ways to deepen our existing ties and partnerships even further. That’s ultimately what this visit and the work that we’re doing every single day, between our governments between our people is that’s what it’s all about.”
He highlighted the support giver by the U.S. to Nigeria, including the 7.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines delivered to Nigeria at no cost and other areas of collaboration between the two countries.
“First of all, working together to beat back COVID-19 and to build back better as we address the devastating impact that it’s had on all of us, on our communities, on our economies,” he said.
Blinken informed that the U.S. has apart from the more than 150 testing labs set up nationwide, helping to tackle food security crisis that was worsened by the pandemic.
He said: “The U.S. and others work with Nigeria toward eliminating a wild polio virus, supporting vaccination campaigns, aiding surveillance to detect and isolate cases.
“That collaboration was key to the country being certified free of the virus in August of 2020. That’s a huge achievement. Reckon assistance is helping to bring treatment to more than one and a half million people in Nigeria living with HIV AIDS, and we’re on track for epidemic control by 2023.”
He said both countries have been working together to address the global climate crisis. Foreign Minister and I were both just at COP 26.
Blinken said: “Our work together also demonstrates how tackling this crisis represents an opportunity, our once in a generation opportunity to create good paying jobs and expand renewable energy access.
“The USAID has a five-year $110 million project, the Nigeria power sector programme, and that’s supporting key initiatives like the solar power major, which will bring solar energy to 25 million Nigerians who are off the electric grid and lack access to power.
“That in turn is expected to create as many as 250,000 new jobs in the energy sector, spur who local industry, generate 18 and a half million dollars in annual tax revenues. So, it will have practical, meaningful effects.”
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