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In a latest policy update report from the US council on Foreign relations, CFR. Former ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell has suggested visa revocations and the freezing of assets of Nigerian corrupt officials linked to the development and support of terrorism in the nation.
The council recommended the US work with individuals and organizations that promoted human rights and development of democracy in Nigeria and also push for development of the nation’s north where poverty and marginalization were making the fight with terror more difficult.
The report stated:
“To ensure that the perpetrators and profits of corruption find no safe haven in the United States, the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, the consulate general in Lagos, and the State Department’s Bureaus of African Affairs and Consular Affairs should expand the revocation of visas of those found to be corrupt as well as of those who perpetuate and advocate political, ethnic, and religious violence. With respect to money laundering and other financial crimes, the National Security Council should publicly announce that it is directing the Treasury and Justice Departments to identify and freeze the profits of corruption that have passed through the U.S. financial system. Because these processes will Recommendations for U.S. Policy 25 be time-consuming, the Obama administration may announce publicly its intention well in advance of implementation.
It further said:
“With a defense budget approaching $6 billion, the Jonathan administration is not short of resources. Rather than securing an enhanced
military capability, Abuja’s challenges are to address poor governance, rebuild a national political consensus, and reduce the northern Muslim
sense of marginalization.
The report which blamed unequal wealth distribution with only a handful of Elite holding all the financial promise of the nation, further recommended the chastisement of the Jonathan government on corruption and human right atrocities of its services. It also recommended Washington encourage initiatives to revamp the Nigerian military and police.
Importantly, the report said Washington should press Abuja to rectify it’s human rights abuse criminality; this has alienated the north. The report described military violations including Amnesty reports of numerous violations and an alleged massacre of over 1000 Boko Haram suspects by the military, many of whome were possibly innocent after the Giwa barracks escape attack.
In the report Ambassador Campbell prioritized the supervision of free and fair elections as Nigerian believed an opposition candidate would defeat incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and the prevention of election rigging would be of extreme essence.
The full report is Nigeria_CSR70