There are some interesting events taking place in Nigeria, what I would call early returns, but would more accurately be described as indirect side effects of the African Partnership Initiative (API). There has been a lot of build up to this, but in the trends I am watching I am seeing a lot of coincidence in the focus of the US in the region and the efforts coming out of Nigeria in aspects of security.
The Nigerian Navy has so far arrested no fewer than 260 ships and barges allegedly involved in illegal bunkering of the nation's crude products.
Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye, disclosed this in Abuja yesterday at the Nigerian NEWSWORLD Leadership Forum, stressing that the nation's waters is a very complex one.
The naval chief, however, absolved the navy from alleged sharp practices in the nation's seaports, noting that the navy does not control ships in the ports.
"It is the function of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). The navy has been removed from the port since 1988. What we do is random checks," Admiral Adekeye said.
The big change we are seeing in Nigeria is a fight against government corruption. There are some zero tolerance policies that are starting to have an effect within the security infrastructure, which started in the Army but is now trickling into other aspects of the government. Mostly this leads to arrests, but there have been some 'mysterious' deaths of suspected corrupt high ranking officials as well. This is a change originating from somewhere in the background, empowered by something not seen in the media, and in evaluation I think what we might be seeing is the indirect influence of Nigeria's economic partners on the Nigerian governments priorities. Like I said, indirectly it appears the African Partnership Initiative (API) is paving the way for change.
The CNS also endorsed the presence of the United States marines in the Gulf of Guinea, stressing that the US has interest all over the world.
He said that the US marines' presence in the Gulf of Guinea would help combat global terrorism.
Adekeye also said that the US buys much of the nation's crude oil products and needs to protect their ships.
The CNS said that so many of the nation's ships have been reactivated in the past two years.
He said that the fleet renewal is aimed at making Nigeria a naval power.
Besides the refurbishing of the ships, he also hinted that the first set of new fleet of ships would arrive the country in June, next year.
Naval power, new ships, arrests, engagement, and assistance. Nigeria is in the early stages of something new to them, the western economic interests and governments are there, not only in the form of military, police, and Coast Guard, but in "full spectrum" assistance ranging from government to military to non governmental. This is what was missing in Iraq, this is an excellent approach to insure preventing regional tensions in the future, but most importantly it is a mechanism for building trust and breaking down the stigma's of the United States in a region that it is important to the United States. Watching Nigeria the last several weeks is like watching scenario's unfold straight out Thomas P.M. Barnett's books, as it is becoming very clear economic interests are driving policy and action.
This approach requires a lot of patience though, these early signs in the first weeks are noteworthy, but results will be measured in years.
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