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Security scare pitches America against Syria over a piece of land in Lagos

Posted by By Emmanuel Mayah on 2005/09/12 | Views: 608 |

Security scare pitches America against Syria over a piece of land in Lagos


Last week, it was a cat and mouse game between Saturday Sun reporter and a dozen mobile policemen deployed to beef up security in the diplomatic ground of Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island.

Last week, it was a cat and mouse game between Saturday Sun reporter and a dozen mobile policemen deployed to beef up security in the diplomatic ground of Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island.

Beginning from the patrol jeep mounted at the entrance to the Crescent to the police boats stationed in the Lagoon opposite the American Embassy, the entire length and breath of the Crescent crawled with security operatives. The scenario spoke for itself that this was not the best of times for the US Émbassy in Lagos.

Over two months after the Americans, acting on a credible security concern, shut down its consular office in Lagos and prompting other embassies at Walter Carrington Crescent to do same, a fresh security tension is rising.

Three weeks ago, Saturday Sun had exclusively reported of a new unease at Walter Carrington in Victoria Island triggered by what a diplomatic source described as the subtle but persistent attempts by some Syrians to infiltrate the neighbourhood. The report had chronicled the fearsome determination of the Arabs since 2001 to build a multi-million naira casino by the waterside next door to the Americans. The stiff opposition from the diplomatic community, alarmed by the controversial permission granted the Syrians, by the Federal Ministry of Works Abuja has snowballed into a cold war.

Despite the strong protest, Saturday Sun discovered on a visit last week to Walter Carrington that work on the proposed casino has earnestly commenced. Judging from the way artisans and engineers deployed to the site were going about their duties, it appeared the Syrians want the contractors, Habibu Engineering Company, to expedite action on the Casino. Though construction officials spoken to pretended not to know the type of building they were putting up, not a few passersby expressed disbelief that the Nigerian Government has learnt little to make security paramount after the embarrassing incident of embassy closures, in June.

At the break of the story three weeks ago, the Americans had declined to give official response to Saturday Sun's enquiry. The German Embassy, obviously perplexed by the development, had responded that their action on the matter would be guided by a collective decision reached with the other missions, including the British and the US.

Ordinarily, without the sweeping wave of terrorism across the globe, a casino at Walter Carrington would perhaps only have been frowned at as an affront on the sanctity of a diplomatic community. In the wake of September 11 with the subsequent AL-Qaeda activities which only last month claimed London as its latest victim, not one embassy in Victoria Island is willing to receive the Syrian businessmen with open arms.

Though not talking, the Americans are not sitting pretty over the Syrian presence. Perhaps unable to wait for a collective decision with its neighbours, the US is already taking steps of its own to show it is not amused. Saturday Sun gathered that as a pre-emptive measure, the US Embassy in a lightening move has acquired from the Federal Government a parcel of land and waterfront adjoining its consulate on Walter Carrington Crescent. The Nigerian government released the land following a request by the embassy. With this concession the Consulate has begun to extend its perimeter fence to the immediate waterfront, a move aimed at achieving an enhanced security at the consulate.

Responding to this development, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of works, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed said: 'We have agreed in principle to grant their request in the interest of greater security and comfort. The details are being worked out. It is Federal Government's property and the request is legitimate. There is merit in it and we have no reason to oppose it."

At least, 50 anti-riot and bomb disposal officers were deployed to Walter Carrington in June this year following terrorist threat and the closure of some embassies. Reports from foreign Islamic channels had indicated a specific threat to American concerns in Lagos.

An official of one of the embassies (name withheld) queried the sensitivity of the Nigerian government in putting them through another phase of anxiety in view of the security conditions that led to the closure of some foreign missions in June. After successful attacks on Tanzania, Kenya and Morocco, Nigeria has been described as the softest target for the AL-Qaeda terrorist group whose leader, Osama Bin Laden did not mince words when he called December 2003 on faithful Muslims for 'support for brothers" in Nigeria.

Saturday Sun's investigation revealed that when the Syrians made first attempt to establish a presence on Walter Carrington, they received stiff opposition from the American, Russian, Belgian, British, German, Italian, Netherlands and Indian foreign missions. The stiffest opposition to the casino came, however, from a Nigerian, Colonel Sola Vaughan, the then Managing Director of Napex, owners of a shopping complex in the same crescent. It was further gathered that after Vaughan was transferred from Napex, the Syrians made another spirited efforts, this time pulling the strings from Abuja.

Last Saturday, when Saturday Sun visited Walter Carrington, a detachment of armed mobile policemen was stationed from the entrance to the end of the crescent. Directly opposite the American Embassy, a police speedboat was equally stationed; while the officers inside are in a rapid response mood.


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