JUNE 9 NIGER DELTA INCIDENT SUMMARY

UNCLAS LAGOS 000787 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W STATE FOR INR/AA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EPET PGOV ASEC PTER CASC NI DELTAVIOLENCE SUBJECT: JUNE 9 NIGER DELTA INCIDENT SUMMARY REF: ABUJA 874 ¶1. This is the initial edition of what will be a biweekly roundup of security incidents in the Niger Delta. This roundup excludes "normal" street crime and concentrates on particularly serious incidents with a possible militant or political element. These incidents have not been reported in other cables or are updates of previously reported items. Separately, these events would not warrant individual cables but they are noteworthy for they are indicative of the level of violence and unrest in this important region of Nigeria. ¶2. May 27 - Units of the Niger Delta-based Nigerian military Joint Task Force (JTF) raided the village of Okrika, Rivers State, killing seven and arresting six. One soldier was reportedly killed, but that is unconfirmed. The operation allegedly targeted perpetrators of a recent series of armed robberies around Port Harcourt. The troops also raided the Okrika residence of militant leader Ateke Tom during the same operation but made no arrests. ¶3. May 29 - A gun battle took place near the Bonny Barracks site of the Port Harcourt car bombing (reftel). Residents report gunfire lasting over 30 minutes. Two soldiers and one militant (from the Okrika area) were said to have died in the battle. ¶4. May 31 - Delta State police command discovered a cache of weapons packed in a plastic can in Agbassa Kingdom, Warri South local government area. The cache included 147 rounds of .9mm AK 47 ammunition, 112 rounds of 7.62mm Lar ammunition, seven rounds of FNC ammunition, 986 other live cartridges, three expended AK 47 rounds and one NPC Chief revolver pistol model 9007114. ¶5. May 31 - At about 1000hrs in the Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone (a major logistics base for the petroleum industry), Rivers State, approximately forty armed men from the Ogpu-Ikpokiri Community beached in four boats and began shooting in the air, claiming they wanted their share of labor contracts. Nigerian Navy personnel fired in the air in response, and Mobile Police were dispatched. Thirty-two intruders were arrested and are being held for prosecution. Police claimed this was a community/labor contract issue and not connected with Ateke Tom or other militant groups. However, media reports state the attack was in retaliation for the May 27 JTF raid on Ateke Tom's residence (see paragraph 2),and resulted in five attackers and one police officer killed. ¶6. June 6 - Unknown attackers bombed the Port Harcourt residence of the Deputy Speaker of the National House of Representatives, Austin Opara, at about 0200hrs. There were no injuries. The attackers fired shots in the neighborhood before storming the Speaker's compound and throwing explosives into Opara's then-unoccupied bedroom. Opara is contending for the governorship of Rivers State in 2007. BROWNE