BAYELSA SSG DISCUSSES IJAW MILITANTS' OBJECTIVES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 001048 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W STATE FOR INR/AA E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV NI SUBJECT: BAYELSA SSG DISCUSSES IJAW MILITANTS' OBJECTIVES REF: A. LAGOS 1020 ¶B. LAGOS 1001 Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for Reason 1.4 (D). -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Bayelsa Secretary to the State Government Dr. Godknows Igali said steps must be taken quickly to improve the prospects of Niger Delta inhabitants in order to prevent more kidnappings of expatriate oil workers. The Secretary claims FNDIC leader Tom Polo has been momentarily placated by President Obasanjo's pledge to build five health centers in Polo's area of Delta State, and FNDIC is honoring an informal cease-fire. However, Polo still wants the release of Ijaw leader Asari Dokubo, and Igali claims to be making some headway with federal officials regarding Dokubo's release. End summary. -------------- -------------- LATEST KIDNAPPING A CRIME, ACTION NEEDED TO STAVE OFF MORE -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) In a recent breakfast meeting at his home in Yenagoa, Dr. Godknows Igali, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Bayelsa State, told Poloff and Econoff that he and fellow Bayelsa State officials have been effective in negotiations with Ijaw militants because they have more credibility with the groups than officials in other Niger Delta states. Igali boasted "they know they can't mess with me." ¶3. (C) Igali explained the recent kidnapping of Dutch oil worker Michael Llos was simply for monetary gain. Hoping to dissuade such criminal activity, Igali responded that he did not have money to pay them ransom when the kidnappers began to demand one. Igali said he ultimately agreed to reimburse the kidnappers for their expenses, including the cost of renting the weapons and boats and of feeding their captive. However, he was adamant that no ransom was paid. (Note: This account of the incident differs somewhat from Dr. Igali's previous version reftel A, when he said Llos' kidnappers were a breakaway FNDIC group trying to establish independent credibility. This time he described the kidnapping as a one-time poorly-coordinated grab for a quick payoff. End note.) ¶4. (C) Igali claimed the Llos kidnapping showed Delta inhabitants increasingly viewed kidnapping as a commercial enterprise. He asserted that action needed to be taken quickly to address their economic development grievances to prevent the spread of such activity. Igali said significant investment was needed to train local youths to make them employable, and Delta Ijaws must begin to receive an equitable share of oil industry employment. Igali complained that oil industry executives were of other ethnic groups, principally Yoruba, and thus hired their ethnic kinsmen from other parts of the country into jobs local youths could have filled. ¶5. (SBU) Igali asserted that Bayelsa State is doing its part to increase development in the state through the Bayelsa Partnership Initiative, a new collaboration between government, NGO, and energy industry stakeholders to expand community-led development. Bayelsa State has also initiated training programs for unemployed Bayelsa youths. -------------- -------------- FNDIC/MEND LEADER SATISFIED FOR NOW, AND KEEPING THE PEACE -------------- -------------- ¶6. (C) Igali said he had just returned from a meeting with Tom Polo (a.k.a. Government Ekpemukpolo),reputedly the leader of the armed militant group FNDIC which is also commonly associated with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). Polo is holding to an informal "cease-fire" to allow the GON an opportunity to honor pledges for increased development in the region. Igali said Polo has been temporarily mollified because the President has agreed to establish five health centers for communities in his area. ¶7. (C) Igali claimed Polo is enforcing the cease-fire, even imposing it on some Ijaw groups outside his immediate domain. Polo carries considerable weight among Ijaws, and is an Ijaw priest with some religious standing, Igali explained. Polo claimed to have "arrested" a number of "rogue" militants to maintain order, and told Igali he was not planning any attacks in the near future. LAGOS 00001048 002 OF 002 ¶8. (C) Igali said although satisfied for now, Polo was still intent upon the release of Ijaw leader Asari Dokubo, jailed since October 2005. Polo was convinced he could keep Asari in line if Asari were released to him. Igali claimed he was making some headway with federal officials in Abuja toward obtaining the Ijaw leader's release. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶9. (C) Dr. Igali's remarks comport with information from other Niger Delta sources. Although militant leader Tom Polo has his foot on the FNDIC brake right now, he will not remain cooperative unless he gets the development projects he has demanded from the GON. If President Obasanjo has pledged to establish health centers in Polo's area, it demonstrates recognition by the President that some concrete action is needed to ease tensions in the region. However, the immediate gratification of a few health centers will not cure the widespread resentment of the Niger Delta indigenes. Moreover, unless development projects are undertaken on a larger scale, Polo will have a difficult time not only convincing his followers to remain quiescent, but also persuading people of other communities outside the ambit of the promised health centers. Polo will not be able to keep these communities from seeing kidnapping as their best alternative should government fail in its promise of bringing new development projects to their areas. End comment. BROWNE