AN UNPRODUCTIVE MEETING WITH THE PLATEAU STATE SOLE

UNCLAS ABUJA 001147

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV ASEC PREL NI
SUBJECT: AN UNPRODUCTIVE MEETING WITH THE PLATEAU STATE SOLE
ADMINISTRATOR

REF: ABUJA 786


1. Summary: In a brief meeting with a Mission team, the
Plateau State Sole Administrator (a) declined to discuss his
plans for Plateau State, (b) facilitated a trip to visit a
conflict-torn village in eastern Plateau State, and (c)
berated the head of the National Refugee Commission in front
of the Mission team.


2. Plateau State Sole Administrator General (retired) M.
Chris Alli met with Poloff on Thursday morning, June 24.
Also present were two visiting Econoffs from Washington, FSN
Polspecialist, Chairman of the National Refugee Commission
Professor Igna Gabriel, and an official from the Plateau
State agency responsible for IDPs.


3. Poloff opened the meeting by presenting Alli a letter of
greetings from the Ambassador. Alli read the letter, then
put it aside without comment and invited questions.


4. Poloff asked Alli of his general plans for Plateau State
for the remainder of the six-month State of Emergency (SOE).
Alli replied, "Let me ask you instead, what are your plans?"
Poloff spoke of his human rights reporting duties, and that
the Yelwa violence in early May (reftel) was of interest.
Alli invited the Mission team to visit Yelwa, and said that
he did not want to "prejudice anyone" by talking about Yelwa
before the visit, then declined to answer any further
questions, about the SOE or general Plateau State security
issues.


5. Alli offered a police escort for the trip to Yelwa, and
then berated Prof. Gabriel at length, in our presence, for
not arranging for the security detail beforehand. Poloff
asked to make an appointment with Alli after the Yelwa
visit, but Alli declined, repeating the same phrase, "go and
see first." Alli did assign one Mobile Police officer, who
rode with the Mission team on the Yelwa visit later that day
(septel).

CAMPBELL