DELTA MILITIA LEADER MEETS WITH GOVERNMENT

S E C R E T ABUJA 001675

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2014
TAGS: PGOV MOPS EPET CASC PREL PINS ASEC NI DELTAVIOLENCE
SUBJECT: DELTA MILITIA LEADER MEETS WITH GOVERNMENT

REF: ABUJA 1673

Classified By: DCM Rick Roberts for Reasons 1.5 (B & D).


1. (S) Dokubo Asari, the leader of a militia recently
fighting government forces in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta,
met September 29 with GON officials in the capital Abuja.
Asari claims he met with President Obasanjo. GON Information
Minister Chikelu told the press Asari only met with GON
security agencies, and officials in the Presidency and the
National Security Advisor's office confirmed to us that he
met with GON officials in Abuja but not Obasanjo.


2. (S) Our GON sources say the militia was allowed to table
its grievances at the meeting, was offered that GON military
forces would not attack the militia if the militia rescinded
its threat to attack oil workers and production facilities
from October 1. Minister Chikelu told the press that the GON
would continue the dialogue, as if a ceasefire had been
agreed.


3. (U) Asari told the press that he had met with Obasanjo,
the Director for State Security (SSS) and other GON
officials. Asari said a temporary ceasefire has been
reached, but pointedly did not retract the ultimatum
targeting oil workers and oil production facilities. Asari
maintained that his militia presented demands that included
"a fair and equitable revenue-sharing formula (to give more
GON oil revenue to his area)" and the convocation of a
"sovereign national conference" to address federalism in
general and for his region.


4. (S) COMMENT: It is thus unclear whether anything more than
a temporary ceasefire is in place, although as reported
reftel the battlefield has been relatively calm the past few
days.
CAMPBELL