Ripples over Al Qaeda planned base in Nigeria

Al-Qaeda’s alleged plan to set up a command and control base in Nigeria is creating diplomatic ripples  as Nigeria debunked the claim, last week, insisting that country is not a safe haven for

anarchist groups.  Indications, however, emerged that the pro-jihadist group may have chosen to set up its operational base in Nigeria in its terrorist war with America and the Western countries.

Britain’s intelligence MI5 had allegedly warned the  prime minister, Mr. David Cameron,  that Al-Qaeda  wants to set up a command and control centre in Nigeria to gain  access to the United Kingdom (UK) where there are dozens of flights from Lagos to London  daily.

FG dismisses claim

Officials of Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja dismissed the claim  in an  interview with Sunday Vanguard, calling it a brilliant piece of fiction that suits the mood of the times. An  official of the ministry, who pleaded confidentiality, said:  “That report did not substantiate its claim but just preferred to cite the Boko Haram uprising to buttress it. It is a perfect conjecture of the author’s imagination.

It is obvious that haters of Nigeria will capitalise on the Boko Haram incident to further dent the image of  the country.” The official will not elaborate on why the FG has not issued an official statement on the claim that was published on July 4, 2011, saying “government does not conduct its operations based on media reports.” Read full story here 

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