We’ve No Plan to Invade N’Delta, Says US
From Stanley Nkwazema and Damilola Oyedele in Abuja, 01.31.2008
United States Government yesterday told the House of Representatives in Abuja, that it has no plans to invade the Niger Delta or create military bases throughout Africa.
Geoffrey Martineau , an officer with the United States Mission to Nigeria, explained that though the US department of defence engagement in Africa is transitiing to a new command, United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), “is a new US Military headquarters devoted solely to Africa and its sole reason for existence is to better enable the Department of Defence and other elements of the US governments to work in concert with our African partners to achieve a more stable environment in which political and economic growth can take place.”
Martineau who interfaced with the House Committee on Defence, said “there is nothing nefarious in AFRICOM and no plan to decolonise Africa, no plan to invade the Delta, or create military bases throughout Africa.
"We decided to reorganise our military in a way that will simply make more sense in cooperating with African nations and in the end, it will strengthen African sovereignty in Africa by strengthening African governments. We will have a civilian and military staff dedicated solely to Africa, meaning that we will have people who understand better than ever. No longer is the African continent split fewer than three different commands. Under AFRICOM, we have already seen levels of aid and funding for key programmes increase and we will have a command far more in tune with the priorities, wishes and interests of Africans themselves,” he said.
Meanwhile, United States Ambassador, Ms Robin Renee Sanders, has lamented that the concept of AFRICOM is misunderstood by many.
Sanders said “it is unfortunate that there is a perception that our efforts to better respond to our African partners have been viewed here in Nigeria as nefarious.
“Why would we do such a thing to a strategic friend and partner such as Nigeria?”She said, adding “there is not and has never been anydesire by my government to have a military base in Nigeria or to militarise Africa or the sub-region The bilateral relationship between our two nations is strong, it is a partnership, and the resources of AFRICOM, which have always be there, should be viewed as a positive addition to that friendship.”
