NIGERIA: NAVY MINISTER: NOTHING WILL HAPPEN ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 000236 SIPDIS CAIRO FOR POL -- MAXSTADT LONDON FOR GURNEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2013 TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV MOPS PINS NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: NAVY MINISTER: NOTHING WILL HAPPEN ON BENUE REF: A. ABUJA 205 ¶B. ABUJA 228 CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR HOWARD F. JETER; REASONS 1.5 (B) AND (D). ¶1. (C) During a January 23 conversation with Ambassador Jeter, Minister of State for Defense (Navy) Chris Agbobu commented on the October 2001 Benue massacre. Agbobu did not expect anyone to be held accountable. Agbobu said while "everyone knows what happened (at Benue)" nothing would come of the government's investigation. ¶2. (C) Agbobu remarked that defeated PDP presidential aspirant and Benue native Barnabas Gemade's unsuccessful attempt to use the Benue incident to weaken Obasanjo during the PDP convention proved that the people of Benue did not blame the government for the killings. According to Agbobu, most people realized that the massacre would not have happened if "criminals" had not killed and mutilated 19 soldiers. Implying that he thought the attack on Zaki Biam had been authorized by someone within the senior levels of the military or government, Agbobu said the military acted correctly and that the Army would have reacted even more forcefully if the decision had been his. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Agbobu became the naval Minister of State only last month and was at the Ministry of Agriculture when the massacre happened. In that position, he was well known to the Ambassador, and following his appointment to the MOD called on the Ambassador at the Embassy on January 23. ¶4. (C) Agbobu's implication that the attack on Zaki Biam was authorized at a level significantly higher than that of those in immediate command of the offending soldiers is troubling; however, Agbobu is neither a military insider, nor was he at the MOD at the time of the Benue incident. He appears to be giving us his opinion more than anything else. His belief that the GON will never hold anyone accountable for Benue may also be his personal view but it is one shared by many Nigerians. END COMMENT. JETER