POST-ELECTION MILITANT ACTIVITY ON THE UPSWING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000312 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC WARSAW FOR LISA PIASCIK CIUDAD JUAREZ FOR DONNA BLAIR ISTANBUL FOR TASHAWNA SMITH SAO PAULO FOR ANDREW WITHERSPOON DOE FOR GPERSON, CAROLYN GAY TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS, SRENENDER, DFIELDS COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR FLISER STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN AND MSTUCKART STATE PASS TDA FOR NCABOT STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/04/2017 TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM PGOV PREL NI SUBJECT: POST-ELECTION MILITANT ACTIVITY ON THE UPSWING LAGOS 00000312 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4 (B) and ( D) ¶1. Summary: Human rights activist Patrick Naagbanton told Poloff on April 24 militant leaders Soboma George and Ateke Tom reportedly met April 18 to discuss shifting from criminal to politically-motivated attacks. Naagbanton believed Rivers Governor Peter Odili bribed Soboma George and Ateke Tom with naira 5 million (approximately USD 39,000) to disrupt Port Harcourt around the presidential election April 21. On April 19, thirty-six militants attacked a vessel near Brass, Bayelsa State while near Escravos, Delta State, militants overtook and offloaded a fuel ship. End Summary. -------------- -------------- Militants Terrorize Rivers, Seek MEND's Political Thrust -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Human rights activist Patrick Naagbanton, with the Center for Environment, Human Rights, and Development (CEHRD) in Port Harcourt, told Poloff on April 24 Niger Delta militants recently met in Rivers to plan an attack on the Bayelsa State Government House in Yenagoa. The attack occurred April 20, the eve of the presidential election. Vice President-elect Governor Goodluck Jonathan was in the government house at the time and had to be whisked to Abuja for safety that night. According to Naagbanton's militant sources, the Yenagoa and Port Harcourt attacks were meant to remind state governments militants remain a relevant force in the Niger Delta. Ateke Tom and Soboma George of Rivers met with Jomo Gbomo, purported spokesman of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND),during this meeting, our interlocutor reported, to consider aligning with MEND and shifting from criminal to politically motivated acts. ¶3. (C) Naagbanton said Soboma George and Ateke Tom were both linked to the April 22 and 23 attacks in and around Port Harcourt. Press reports claim gunmen began terrorizing Port Harcourt residents on April 22, when they drove through the city and fired rounds from two unmarked Kombi buses. Despite police attempts to barricade the roads, the attacks continued through April 23 and at least 10 civilians were killed. Naagbanton told Poloff Soboma George's group was involved in at least two of the Port Harcourt incidents while Ateke Tom's cultist group, the Icelanders, primarily operated outside the city in areas such as Borokiri and Bundu. Naagbanton's militant contacts told him the Rivers state Government House gave George and Tom naira 5 million (approximately USD 39,000) to keep them from disrupting the elections. -------------- -------------- Niger Delta: Militants Siphon Fuel, Attack Vessel -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) On April 19 approximately 25 militants in speed boats redirected and offloaded a fuel ship near Forcados, Delta state, according to security sources. ¶5. (SBU) Also on April 19, approximately 36 militants traveling in three speedboats attacked Transocean's "Trident 8" drilling rig offshore Brass, Bayelsa state. No hostages were taken and no expatriates were known to have been LAGOS 00000312 002.2 OF 002 involved in the incident; security sources report the expatriates received sufficient warning to "lock down." -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) Militant activity decreased in the Niger Delta in the pre-election period. However, now the elections are over; militant groups appear to want to reassert their presence and disruptive capabilities. End Comment. BROWNE