TAKE LALONG 'WAY HOME: PLATEAU STATE SPEAKER NO

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001366 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2014 TAGS: PHUM PGOV KDEM NI SUBJECT: TAKE LALONG 'WAY HOME: PLATEAU STATE SPEAKER NO LONGER "WANTED" BY POLICE REF: ABUJA 1318 Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR JAMES MAXSTADT FOR REASONS 1.5 (B) A ND (D) ¶1. (C) Suspended Plateau State House of Assembly Speaker Simon Lalong called Poloff to say that he had turned himself in to the Police Commissioner in Jos, who had announced that Lalong was "wanted" (reftel). The commissioner apologized and said it was "all a big misunderstanding." Lalong said he is free to go home or travel without restrictions. Comment: Media coverage of the commissioner's original announcement included speculation that the GON was trying to intimidate Lalong into dropping his legal challenges to the State of Emergency (SOE). If this had been the strategy, media exposure likely prompted a quick change of those plans. End Comment. ¶2. (C) Lalong also told Poloff that the Abuja High Court had rescheduled from July 29 to September 16 the Plateau state Assembly members' lawsuit against their suspension. Comment: The six-month SOE is scheduled to expire November 18. Given the slow pace of Nigeria's court system, justice delayed is likely to be justice no longer relevant. End Comment. CAMPBELL