Announcement

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday urged Nigerian authorities to boost their intelligence capabilities to better combat growing extremist violence. Mrs Clinton is proposing that Nigeria create an "intelligence fusion cell" that would combine information from the military , spy services, police and other federal, state and local agencies.

The cell also would coordinate counterterrorism activities and serve as a contact for foreign intelligence services, State Departments officials said. The officials said the U.S. is ready to assist the cell with organization expertise, training and equipment, including computers, and would offer the aid to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan and his new national security adviser, Mohammed Dasuki, on whom  the U.S. has high hopes for expanded intelligence cooperation.

The U.S. has become increasingly concerned about the threat posed by militant groups in West Africa such as the Islamist Boko Haram in Nigeria and cells of al Qaeda-linked fighters in northern Mali.

Source: The Washington Times, Aug. 10, 2012, p A13.