NIGERIA: BATAGARAWA REFUSES TO COMMENT ON BENUE

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 000400

SIPDIS


C O R R E C T E D COPY CITING STATE SVC 0689
ADDING "CLASSIFIED BY" STATEMENT


CAIRO POL FOR MAXSTADT
LONDON FOR GURNEY


E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/25/2013
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV MOPS PINS NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: BATAGARAWA REFUSES TO COMMENT ON BENUE
TRANSFERS/RETIREMENTS

REF: ABUJA 205


CLASSIFIED BY AMB JETER, REASONS 1.5 B & D



1. (C) During a February 20 meeting with Ambassador Jeter,
Minister of State for Defense (Army) Lawal Batagarawa
refused to comment on the veracity of GON claims that
officers associated with the October 2001 Benue massacre
were transferred, retired or otherwise relieved. When the
Ambassador tried to raise the issue, Batagarawa said he
would not discuss it and asked the Ambassador to "just
leave it" for now. Batagarawa promised to return to the
Benue issue "later".



2. (C) Comment: Batagarawa claims not to have known of
President Obasanjo's December 2002 letter to Senator
Feingold until the Ambassador informed him of its
existence. On several occasions since, Batagarawa has
promised to provide the Ambassador with evidence of
Obasanjo's claim to have taken punitive action against
officers involved in the Benue incident. Batagarawa's
subsequent refusal to discuss the issue lends credibility
to previous Embassy and DAO Abuja reporting indicating any
transfers/retirements were not punitive in nature, but
rather were routine personnel actions. While Post cannot
be certain, it is likely Batagarawa's promise of proof was
an attempt to stall while he investigated the matter.
Having found no evidence to support his President's claims,
Batagarawa has decided to avoid discussing the issue.
JETER