Abacha unhappy with US - Nigeria relations

[Steve Kretzmann <steve@moles.org>]

  Abacha Unhappy With Nigeria, U.S. Relations
  
  July 10, 1997
  
  Paul Ejime,, PANA Correspondent
  
  LAGOS, NIGERIA (PANA) - Nigeria's military ruler, Gen. Sani Abacha, has said
  his administration is absolutely perplexed and shocked at the United States
  attitude towards it.
  
  Meeting American Baptist Convention delegation in Abuja Tuesday, he recalled
  that the U.S. was one of Nigeria's closest friends but said washington's
  current posture could harm bilateral relations.
  
  Washington has maintained a regime of sanctions on Nigeria following the
  cancellation of the 1993 presidential elections in the country.
  
  Apart from decertifying Nigeria on allegations of not doing enough on
  anti-drug crusade, it has also suspended flights to and from Nigeria, citing
  airport security reasons.
  
  Despite these disagreements, economic relations between the two countries
  are largely unaffected, with the U.S. the largest buyer of Nigeria's crude
  oil.
  
  There were political, cultural and social linkages between the two
  countries, Abacha said. So we get so confused at the attitude of the U.S.
  especially the injustice done to us by the government not only in the area
  of sanctions but also on the issue of decertification, because we are one
  administration that has genuinely and publicly launched an all-out war
  against illicit drug.
  
  He also accused the U.S. of harbouring those he called disgruntled
  Nigerians, a reference to exiles opposed to his regime.
  
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