The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said this in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday.

The attacked convoy reportedly had nine Nigerian nationals: five employees of the US Mission to Nigeria and four members of the Nigeria Police Force.

They were traveling in advance of a planned visit by the US Mission personnel to a US-funded flood response project in Anambra.

At least four members in the convoy were killed.

Responding, Blinken said that the US was working with the Nigerian law enforcement to bring those responsible to justice.

He said “We do not yet know the motive for the attack, but we have no indications at this time that it was targeted against our Mission. The assailants killed at least four members of the convoy and U.S. Mission personnel are working urgently with Nigerian counterparts to ascertain the location and condition of the members of the convoy who are unaccounted for.

We condemn in the strongest terms this attack. We will work closely with our Nigerian law enforcement colleagues in seeking to bring those responsible to justice.

“The United States has no greater priority than the safety and security of our personnel. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed in the attack, and pledge to do everything possible to safely recover those who remain missing. We deeply value our relationship with our Locally Employed Staff and our partnership with Nigeria.”

Blinken added that US reaffirmed its commitment to the people of Nigeria to assist in the fight against violence and insecurity.

President Buhari on Wednesday,  expressed sadness over the attacked and condoled with the families of those killed in the incident.

In statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari said, “I was very sad hearing about the killing of the embassy staff and our policemen accompanying them.

“In this difficult time for the families of those killed, the American Embassy and the Nigeria Police Force, I extend the nation’s condolences over the very sad incident.”

The President equally expressed grief over the  killings of nine citizens in Benue and 29 others in Plateau states communities on Tuesday.

“I am deeply pained to learn about these gruesome deaths.

“We share the grief of the American Embassy, the Nigeria Police Force and our communities in Plateau and Benue and remain committed to fishing out the perpetrators of the attacks and bringing them to justice,” said Buhari.

Similarly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,in a statement on Wednesday by its spokesman, Francisca Omayuli, condemned the killing of the US consulate officials.

The statement read “The Federal Government received with dismay the sad news of the attack on the convoy of the staffers of the US Consulate on Tuesday,  May 16, 2023 in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State by yet to be identified gunmen.

“While investigation is ongoing to fish out the culprits and bring them to book, the Federal Government extends its sympathies and condolences to the families of the deceased as well as to the United States Consulate and Mission in Nigeria over the unfortunate incident.”

The US Secretary of States, Antony Blinken, who gave the warning, also urged the federal and Lagos State governments to sanction any individuals found to have violated human rights during the October 2020 #EndSARS protests when the white paper on the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters is ready.

He warned that if the rights violations persisted, the US government might evoke the Leahy Law to deny Nigeria access to hardware, which includes arms and other military equipment to fight terrorism and other forms of criminalities

During a meeting with the President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Aso Rock, Abuja, Blinken had said America anticipated the response of the federal and Lagos State governments to the panel’s findings.

On Friday, Blinken met with members of the civil society in Abuja, reiterating the US’ demand for justice.

In an interview with CNN,  Blinken urged Nigeria to bring those indicted by the panel report to book.

He said the US might evoke the Leahy Law on military aid against Nigeria if the country failed to protect human rights.

The Leahy Law is an American rights ordinance that prohibits the US government from providing military assistance to foreign security force units that violate human rights with impunity.

Asked during the CNN interview whether the US had changed its conclusion in the light of the panel’s report, Blinken said he was waiting for the full report to be released by the Lagos State Government.

He, however, argued that the most important thing was ensuring that those found wanting face the full weight of the law.

He said, “But a couple of things are really important. As I said, the report itself, done by the state government, but then once it’s out, for there to actually be action on the basis of the report, action as necessary by the states, action by the Federal Government, and action in the sense of two things. First, making sure that based on what is documented to have happened, it won’t happen again – so there may be reforms that are necessary – and building or rebuilding trust between the citizens and the security services, between citizens and the state. That is an obligation of both the state government and the Federal Government. Second is accountability. If there are individuals that – as it emerges from this report – who are responsible for committing abuses, there has to be accountability in terms of those individuals. That too is vital to rebuilding trust between citizens and the state and the security services.

On what the US would do if human rights abuses continued, he responded, “And, of course, we also have laws in place – the Leahy laws, for example – that make sure that if there are units that have committed abuses, we’re not going to provide equipment to those units.”

When asked pointedly if the Leahy law would be imposed on Nigeria, the Secretary of State responded, “Well, we look in any instance if – and if there are credible allegations that prove, that we believe meet the standard of the law, yes, of course, we’ll apply the law.”

A petition by rights groups including Amnesty International had recently forced the US Congress to call for the stoppage of weapons sales to Nigeria.

When asked by CNN if the US government would bow to pressure by the US Congress to impose an arms embargo on Nigeria amid incessant allegations of human rights abuse, Blinken said it would all depend on Nigeria’s response. Blinken stated, “If there is genuine transparency, accountability and change that follows from these incidents and from these abuses, I think that’s very important not only to our administration, it’s important to Congress in making judgments about continuing to provide assistance to the security forces.”

He explained that the assistance being given to the Nigerian military was not only hardware but training to tackle terrorism and criminal activities.

Blinken said, “But the assistance itself is not just the hardware that we might provide – airplanes or helicopters – it’s the software, the human software. Because one of the things that we’re doing is making sure that as we’re providing equipment to deal with profound security challenges that are faced here in Nigeria – terrorism, criminal activity, other violence – that those who will be using the equipment are trained in a way that makes sure that they are doing it to avoid hurting the good guys even as they’re going after the bad guys, to make sure that the laws of armed conflict are fully in mind. And that if they make mistakes, they’re corrected and they’re brought to light immediately. All of that’s very important. And, of course, we also have laws in place – the Leahy laws, for example – that make sure that if there are units that are – that have committed abuses, we’re not going to provide equipment to those units.”

In a statement by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken on Wednesday, November 17, the US blacklisted Russia, China, and eight other countries as countries that limit the freedom of people to practise their religion.

The communique listed the nations as “Countries of Particular Concern for having engaged in or tolerated ‘systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”

Blinken’s statement which was titled, ‘Religious Freedom Designations’, also disclosed that Algeria, Comoros, Cuba, and Nicaragua have all been placed on a Special Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerated “severe violations of religious freedom.”

The US Secretary of State, in his statement, said, “The United States will not waiver in its commitment to advocate for freedom of religion or belief for all and in every country. In far too many places around the world, we continue to see governments harass, arrest, threaten, jail, and kill individuals simply for seeking to live their lives in accordance with their beliefs. This Administration is committed to supporting every individual’s right to freedom of religion or belief, including by confronting and combating violators and abusers of this human right”.

He added that “the challenges to religious freedom in the world today are structural, systemic, and deeply entrenched. They exist in every country. They demand sustained global commitment from all who are unwilling to accept hatred, intolerance, and persecution as the status quo. They require the international community’s urgent attention. We will continue to press all governments to remedy shortcomings in their laws and practices and to promote accountability for those responsible for abuses. The United States remains committed to working with governments, civil society organizations, and members of religious communities to advance religious freedom around the world and address the plight of individuals and communities facing abuse, harassment, and discrimination on account of what they believe, or what they do not believe”.

In 2020, the US placed Nigeria and six other countries on its special watch list of states that had engaged in or tolerated the severe violation of religious freedom.

In a statement marking 50 years since the UN General Assembly voted to seat Beijing and boot out Taipei, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, October 26, he regretted that Taiwan had been increasingly excluded on the world stage.

Blinken said “As the international community faces an unprecedented number of complex and global issues, it is critical for all stakeholders to help address these problems. This includes the 24 million people who live in Taiwan. Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the UN system is not a political issue, but a pragmatic one. That is why we encourage all UN member states to join us in supporting Taiwan’s robust, meaningful participation throughout the UN system and in the international community. Taiwan has become a democratic success story. We are among the many UN member states who view Taiwan as a valued partner and trusted friend.”

Chima responded to Blinken’s statement, emphasising its position that Taiwan’s government had no place on the global diplomatic stage.

Ma Xiaoguang, the spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office in Beijing, told reporters “Taiwan has no right to join the United Nations. The United Nations is an international governmental organisation composed of sovereign states… Taiwan is a part of China.”

The latest statement adds to an escalation of diplomatic rhetoric and military posturing over Taiwan.

US President Joe Biden last week told a televised forum that the United States was ready to defend Taiwan from any Chinese invasion.