Foreign Correspondence

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Coup Scare! Obasanjo Deploys Warship, Troops in E-Guinea

The United States was implicated in the attempt to overthrow Equatorial Guinea. Nigeria has sent 1,000 troops and a former US warship to Equatorial Guinea with the object of preventing such a coup. The United States is becoming a reliable partner to Nigeria. Wouldn’t even try to guess on this.

Coup Scare! Obasanjo Deploys Warship, Troops in E-Guinea

Nigeria has sent 1,000 troops and a former US warship to
Equatorial Guinea, reports today's AllAfrica. The move comes
in response to intelligence that a coup was being planned in
Equatorial Guinea, and is with the object of preventing such
a coup:


Vanguard (Lagos)

March 14, 2004
Posted to the web March 15, 2004

Kingsley Omonobi


WHILST still trying to resolve the insecurity problem triggered by recent high profile killings and attempted assassinations in the country, the Federal Government is scared stiff about the implication for Nigeria's security an alleged plot to overthrow President Teodoro Obiang Ngueme Mbasogo's government of the neighbouring Equatorial Guinea.

Consequently, President Olusegun Obasanjo weekend ordered the deployment of a Nigeria warship and about 1000 battle-tested military officers and men in Malabo, the neighbouring country's capital.

Trouble broke out in the Nigeria's eastern neighbour and the sub-Saharan Africa's third largest oil producer penultimate Saturday when security forces began a clampdown on illegal immigrants in the country.

Nigeria and Cameroun embassies in Malabo were heavily guarded by troops when the raid continued last Monday. Spokesman of the government of Equatorial Guinea said the raid resulted in the arrest of 15 mercenaries.

It was not clear if Obasanjo's deployment of warship and troops in the country at the weekend had anything to do with the problem there.

But top military sources linked the Nigerian president's action to intelligence reports that some rebel soldiers were planning to storm the government house in Malabo with the intention to overthrow the government there.

President Obasanjo's action, Sunday Vanguard was told, was strictly pre-emptive because of the implication a coup d'etat in Equatorial Guinea could have on the stability of the West African sub-region, particularly Nigeria which has had to bear the brunt of past instability in many countries in the sub-region. Besides, the measure, it was learnt, would enable Nigeria move out her citizens from the country in the event that the situation there becomes too hot to handle. The reason of sub-regional stability was cited last year when Obasanjo threatened to deploy troops in neighbouring Sao Tome and Principe to quash a coup executed by some military officers in that country.

The threat forced the coup plotters to restore the democratically elected government. "The directive of Mr. President to the navy authorities is that the warship, NNS Ologbo, commanded by Navy Captain George Alily, and the presence of military personnel should serve as a re-assurance to the government and people of Equatorial Guinea of Nigeria's support for democratic governance as well as carry out evacuation of Nigerians living in the country in the event that the situation gets out of hand", a top naval officer who spoke on condition of anonymity told Sunday Vanguard. The official said NNS Ologbo, a warship of the cat class patrol armoury that has capability for sea-lifting in support of peace-keeping, support operation and offensive actions, sailed from Calabar with about 1000 battle tested military officers and men on the voyage to Malabo weekend.

"Already, the refugee situation as a result of wars in the West African region is alarming and any attempt to bring about more crisis that may cause problems for our country is being averted," the official said. Meanwhile, the Navy has decentralized its operation to ensure effective policing of the nation's oil producing areas of the Niger-Delta, curbing of illegal activities and violence at sea and contributing to the security arrangement in Warri and environs.

Towards this end, two recently acquired warships from the United States of America are to be deployed to Warri to fight bunkering, pipe-line vandalization and other violent activities while the three warships formerly deployed in Warri are now to be deployed to Calabar for a more effective policing of the entire Niger-Delta and the nation's Maritime resources.

Sunday Vanguard learnt that government took the measure because the loss to the nation as a result of piracy, bunkering and vandalization was so high that unless drastic measures are taken, it may get out of hand.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200403150391.html



March 16, 2004 - excerpt
The senior political adviser to the United State Embassy in Nigeria, Russell Handk, said U.S will be a reliable partner to Nigeria in her efforts to improve the living standard of its people.

He said the four principles the United State government pays special attention to in it's dealings with Nigeria and the rest of the world include democracy, development, security and co-operation adding that this remains the basis of its relationship with the rest of the world.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200403160734.html