2007年VOA标准英语-Nigeria Rejects US Terror Attack Claim

By Gilbert da Costa
Abuja
07 September 2007

An official U.S. warning that Western interests in Nigeria are at risk of a terrorist attack has provoked a strong reaction from the Nigerian government. A government spokesman rejected the report as "an unfair stigmatization¹." Gilbert da Costa in Abuja has more in this report for VOA.

Nigerian Information Minister John Odey told VOA on Friday that the warning was offbase and negates² the new government's efforts to forge stronger ties with Washington .

"We consider it unfair stigmatization," said Odey. "They don't have any reason whatsoever³, because the reason they are quoting, they were referring to 2006 and it is very, very unfair."

"We know that they should understand our problems now that Nigerians are collaborating⁴ with government on all aspects of endeavor, particularly as it pertains⁵ to issues of national security. We expect that they should have understanding with us, like we also have understanding with them on other issues about terrorism and all that in their country, which of course have a worse dimension than the security problems that we have," he added.

The U.S Embassy in Nigeria issued a warning to Americans in Nigeria saying western interests in Africa 's largest oil producer were at risk of a "terrorist attack." The statement gave few details but mentioned official and commercial sites in Lagos and the capital Abuja as possible targets.

Security in the country's oil producing southern region broke down after militants⁶ launched an armed campaign seeking oil revenue more than a year ago. Their raids have cut off at least 25 percent of Nigeria's oil output.

But Odey says the new government has made significant progress in bringing the Niger Delta⁷ crisis to a close.

"They should appreciate our problems which we have the capacity to maintain, and which the government has so far been able to curtail," said Odey. "We've been able to settle issues of restiveness⁸ in the Niger Delta and we are working towards implementing⁹ our master plan in collaboration¹⁰ with every stake holder¹¹ in the Niger Delta, to ensure that we bring development to every part of this country, particularly the under developed Niger Delta."

American officials have since played down the warning, saying the advisory¹² was based on "very non specific threat information." Nigeria is the largest U.S. trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa , accounting¹³ for 11 percent of U.S. crude imports.

1 stigmatization   

n.描绘，陈述

参考例句：

2 negates   

v.取消( negate的第三人称单数 )；使无效；否定；否认

参考例句：

• Alcohol negates the effects of the drug. 酒精能使药物失效。
• The lack of deep hardening in these alloys negates their use. 这些合金缺乏深层硬化能力使它们无法利用。 来自辞典例句

3 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。

4 collaborating   

合作( collaborate的现在分词 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• Joe is collaborating on the work with a friend. 乔正与一位朋友合作做那件工作。
• He was not only learning from but also collaborating with Joseph Thomson. 他不仅是在跟约瑟福？汤姆逊学习，而且也是在和他合作。

5 pertains   

关于( pertain的第三人称单数 )； 有关； 存在； 适用

参考例句：

• When one manages upward, none of these clear and unambiguous symbols pertains. 当一个人由下而上地管理时，这些明确无误的信号就全都不复存在了。
• Her conduct hardly pertains to a lady. 她的行为与女士身份不太相符。

6 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

7 delta   

n.（流的）角洲

参考例句：

• He has been to the delta of the Nile.他曾去过尼罗河三角洲。
• The Nile divides at its mouth and forms a delta.尼罗河在河口分岔，形成了一个三角洲。

8 restiveness   

n.倔强，难以驾御

参考例句：

• There were signs of restiveness among the younger members. 年轻成员流露出了不满的情绪。 来自辞典例句
• Seeing a faint restiveness in Lincoln's eye, he changed the subject. 他觉察到林肯眼神略带烦躁，便改了话题。 来自互联网

9 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

10 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

11 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

12 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

13 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。