Hurray? As Nigeria makes Top 20 TSA “Terror-Board” plus 10 travelling tips to…..

So Nigeria has officially been labelled as a terrorist state as TSA implements  enhanced screening from 11 countries .

Yes, I know its serious stuff.

Being recognised by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as “state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest” such as Pakistan and Yemen is no laughing matter just because of a “Knicker bomber” as my fellow blogger, SOLOMONSYDELLE of Nigerian Curiosity blog fame (the No. 1 most visited Nigerian Blog on the internet). Honestly, it is not funny.

11 Terror Friendly Countries

How about this for a description of citizens of Nigeria; Nigeria, home of failed underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, this was how another blogger – tagged “The Reaction” put it. Is that funny or not?

I think it is funny.

Oh yes, TSA has only gone on to include us in the top 20 billboard, oh sorry, “Terrorboard”. How daft can they be? For doing what? Having a spoilt brat, as a Nigerian, who had lost ideas on how to spend his dad’s money as a failed bomber? You needed to have seen where this “rich-poor” chap lived in West London? Posh to say the least.

Honestly, I know it is not fair to group us with Iraq, Iran, Yemen, and Afghanistan. But for minister of information and communications, Prof Dora Akunyili to go on and on about how unfair it is to be categorised as a nation that is terror friendly, I‘ll rather she join hands with her fellow Ministers to do the unusual, which is to serve the people and keep our house in order.

How on earth will any country take Nigeria serious when a serious issue such as the “Xmas g-string failed bomber” has failed to bring out our President into the open. Umaru Yar’dua our President is too sick to make a comment. What does that say about Nigeria?

Sorry, if I am alarmed.

But is ourPresident dead or what?

Or could he be on a life support machine?

These are questions that are on many peoples’ minds. If President Obama could interrupt his holidays more than once to make a statement, then, if our President is still alive and he or his advisers have not deemed it fit to speak, then what else can I say about the management or mismanagement? For God’s sake, let our political officers get rid of the idea that managing Nigeria is like managing a company with a few shareholders. Personally, I do not think it is asking too much for our President to appear ona wheel chair. Don’t you think so?

So I take it with a pinch of Maggie cubes when the Minister for Branding (in charge of Info. and Communications) comes out like a hurt parent of a spoilt brat telling the world how unfair it is for Nigeria to be branded a state with Terrorist interest.

Even Dr Muttallab, the father of the “G-string” bomber did not moan except to state the credible procedures he took to alert the world of the danger of his run away kid.

I thought the statement credited to the Inspector General of Police, Ogbonnoya Onovo made more sense, thank God. This is what he had to say, as reported in 234NEXT.com.

The I.G called upon the U.S. government to de-list Nigeria from the watch list in the light of the country’s cooperation with U.S. officials since the December 25 incident. He went on to say that ;

“In light of all this, the Transport Security Administration of the United States is hereby called upon to de-list Nigeria from the countries of interest. Nigerian travellers to the United States need not be subjected to extraordinary hardship. There are no security issues in the country. The new policy is unfair,” Mr. Onovo said “There are convicted terrorists who are American, British and Belgian citizens, and this fact has not made the TSA regard either Britain or Belgium as a country of interest. For the avoidance of doubt, I would like to point out that Hamid Hyat, who was convicted in April 2007 of terrorism, is an American. Richard Reid, who is serving a life sentence in the United States for attempting on December 22, 2001 to bomb an American commercial plane flying from Paris to Miami, is a British citizen. His collaborator, Nizar Trabelsi, is Belgian.

“If the American authorities could not add Britain and Belgium to the list of countries of interest, then there is no objective reason to include Nigeria. We may be deeply religious, but certainly we are no suicide bombers or terrorists. Both the Nigerian government and the people abhor fanaticism. We have zero policy tolerance towards Al Qaeda in Nigeria. We strongly condemn unequivocally all kinds of terrorism.

“It is self-evident that Farouk Abdultallab has no Nigerian cohorts. It is also self-evident that he did not develop radical religious views in Nigeria, but abroad.” Mr. Onovo said.

Very well said Inspector. If only our Minister for Information can adopt and convert this intelligent point into an official line rather than scream how “It is unfair to include Nigeria on the US list for tighter screening because Nigerians do not have terrorist tendencies,” Akunyili told journalists. “It is unfair to discriminate against over 150 million people because of the behaviour of one person.”

Body Scanner Image

Full body Scanners are now to be introduced or already in action in the US and UK and my advice to all Nigerians about to travel is this – watch the amount of Eba (a Nigerian delicacy) you eat. Seriously, I have decided to take these entire terrorist labelling of Nigerians in my stride. There is absolutely nothing I or you can do except to obey all laws, travel light and I mean very light (no “Nigeria relocates to Ghana bags” as opposed to “Ghana must go bags”) and empty your bowels before boarding. What else? Let me know if you think of any other thing.

Guys, this is the beginning of a new year, life is easy, let us live it so. Play your role, and leave the rest to the over exuberant custom or TSA officials who would be red faced at the end of the day.

MY TRAVELLING TIPS

Here are my 10 tips for travelling to TSA cleared states

1. Arrive on time at the Airport
2. Provide straight answers (with a smile) to questions
3. Prepare for a long queue
4. Eat light
5. Drink light
6. Travel light
7. Dress light
8. Talk light (No need to argue)
9. Sit tight and
10. Prepare to enjoy the ordeal

 

I wish you all a safe trip. God bless.

Tagged: Jide Salu, Nigeria on Terrorist TSA list, Nigerian Curiousity, President Yar'dua, Terror watch list, TSA, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

Posted in: Personal Thoughts