SECURITY COOPERATION WITH NIGERIA: OJO MADUEKWE,

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001330

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2014
TAGS: PREL MARR MASS PGOV PHUM NI
SUBJECT: SECURITY COOPERATION WITH NIGERIA: OJO MADUEKWE,
SPECIAL ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT ON LEGAL AND CONSITUTIONAL
MATTERS

REF: A. STATE 155894


B. ABUJA 1295

Classified By: Ambassador John Campbell for reasons 1.5 (b),(d).


1. Summary: I went over the talking points in Ref. A with
President Obasanjo's legal and constitutional advisor on July

28. He said he would urge the President Obasanjo to make a
speech incorporating the essential elements included in
Reftel End summary.


2. I met with Ojo Maduekwe, the President's Special Advisor
on Legal and Constitutional Matters, to, among other things,
make the points provided in Ref. A. Maduekwe was highly
supportive of restoring the U.S./Nigeria military training
relationship, and observed that the essential elements of a
presidential statement on accountability have already been
made by Obasanjo at various times. Maduekwe said he would
support with the president making the same points again with
a military audience.


3. Maduekwe said that restoration of the U.S./Nigeria
military training relationship is essential. He observed
that the Nigerian military would benefit from human rights
and humanitarian training because they must often serve, in
effect, as auxiliaries to the police in cases of ethnic
strife. He also made the point that Nigeria is vulnerable to
penetration by Al Quada and other instruments of
international terrorism. While he said there is no evidence
that such groups have a presence in Nigeria yet, the
potential is there, and the Nigerian military needs all the
training help it can get.


4. Comment: Maduekwe tarnished his record as a human rights
lawyer by his involvement with the Abacha regime. At one
point early in Abacha's tenure, he promoted himself
unsuccessfully as a candidate to be Nigerian ambassador to
Washington. Subsequently he fell out with the Abacha regime.
However, along with many other Abacha supporters, he made a
comeback in the first Obasanjo government, serving as
minister of transportation. Now, he is one of the
president's legal advisors.
CAMPBELL