NIGERIA: NSA MOHAMMED ON OFR AND SECURITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 002116

SIPDIS


DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W, AF/RA AND PM


E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/22/2011
TAGS: MASS MARR KPKO PINR PREL NI SL
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: NSA MOHAMMED ON OFR AND SECURITY
ASSISTANCE


REF: A. ABUJA 2072

B. STATE 143583

C. ABUJA 2113

D. ABUJA 2115


(U) Classified by Ambassador Howard F. Jeter; Reasons 1.5 (b)
and (d).



1. (C) Ambassador Jeter, accompanied by PolMilOff, called on
NSA Aliyu Mohammed on August 22. LTC Idris, the NSA's
Military Advisor also attended. In addition to a discussion
of GON efforts in a number of African hot-spots, the WCAR and
counter-narcotics (septels),the Ambassador and NSA also
discussed security assistance and the UNAMSIL troop rotations.



2. (C) Ambassador Jeter informed the National Security
Advisor of the Embassy's efforts to improve the security
assistance relationship with the Ministry of Defense (Ref A),
and noted the positive efforts of Minister of State
Batagarawa to that end. He also emphasized that one of the
LOAs, the amended LOA for MPRI, had to be signed within days
or MPRI would leave Nigeria on September 8. The NSA
requested the Ambassador continue to work with Minister of
Defense Danjuma and Army Minister Batagarawa on these issues.
However, he said he would also discuss them with Batagarawa
after the Council of State meeting that afternoon. (NOTE:
Acting Defense Minister Batagarawa, a close associate of the
NSA, called the Ambassador later that afternoon, and said he
had directed Nigeria's DATT in Washington, Group Captain John
Ode, to sign the amended LOA. END NOTE.)



3. (C) Ambassador Jeter then addressed the desired UNAMSIL
troop rotation schedule, which would allow for the three OFR
Phase III Battalions to rotate into UNAMSIL as a group in
January immediately after the completion of the program (Ref
B). The NSA took note of the request, but again asked that
the Ambassador make the request to the Minister of Defense.



4. (C) COMMENT: Embassy finds Aliyu Mohammed's continued
careful distancing from defense issues interesting. The NSA
is willing to listen, and seems willing to work in the
background to make things happen, but is always careful to
deflect discussion of security assistance issues to Minister
Danjuma. This is most likely due to the close relationship
shared by the President and his Defense Minister; it is also
due, however, to sustained GON efforts, beginning with the
President, to protect Danjuma's position and stature, despite
the Minister's continuing bouts with illness. Nonetheless,
Batagarawa's presence, and his close relationship with the
NSA, seem to have created a back-channel for the NSA into the
Ministry.



5. (U) COMMENT CONTINUED: Ambassador will raise the rotation
issue with the Acting Minister of Defense at the earliest
opportunity. END COMMENT.



6. (U) Freetown Minimize Considered.
Jeter