By Emma Ovuakporie

ABUJA—Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (PDP, Bayelsa West) has flayed calls for reciprocity from Nigeria to the placement of Nigerians on the watch list of terrorists, saying about 20 other countries were also doing the same to Nigerians.

Senator Lokpobiri in an interview affirmed that Nigeria owed it a responsibility to apologise for the indiscretion of one of her citizens aiming to bring injury upon the citizens of another country.

He affirmed that citizens of an estimated 20 other countries targeted by Umar Abdulmuttalab were in that plane and that those countries have followed the United States in subjecting Nigerians to further screening.

“As far as I am concerned it is a necessary reaction from any country to the attempt by a citizen of another country to bomb citizens from about twenty other countries across the world and if it had happened it would have been very sad,” Senator Lokpobiri, chairman of the Senate committee on sports said.

“As far as I am concerned it is a matter we need to handle with diplomacy and tact. In my own opinion, it is impossible for Nigeria to attempt to confront the United States on this issue. It is their legal right and America reserves the right to take whatever step it can to safeguard their citizens.”