Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAGOS363
2007-05-21 16:28:00
SECRET
Consulate Lagos
Cable title:
ATTACK ON VP-ELECT'S HOUSE MARKS THIRD ATTACK IN
how-toVZCZCXRO1673 OO RUEHPA DE RUEHOS #0363 1411628 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 211628Z MAY 07 FM AMCONSUL LAGOS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8944 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY 8757 RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 0043 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 0372 RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ PRIORITY 0351 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0350 RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO PRIORITY 0344 RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
S E C R E T LAGOS 000363
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: 05/21/2017
TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM PGOV PREL NI
SUBJECT: ATTACK ON VP-ELECT'S HOUSE MARKS THIRD ATTACK IN
SEVEN MONTHS
REF: A. LAGOS 355
B. 06 LAGOS 1430
C. LAGOS 343
Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D)
S E C R E T LAGOS 000363
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: 05/21/2017
TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM PGOV PREL NI
SUBJECT: ATTACK ON VP-ELECT'S HOUSE MARKS THIRD ATTACK IN
SEVEN MONTHS
REF: A. LAGOS 355
B. 06 LAGOS 1430
C. LAGOS 343
Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D)
1. (C) Vice President-elect Governor Goodluck Jonathan's
country residence in Bayelsa State was attacked early morning
on May 16. According to press reports, militants approached
the house by boat, fired shots and detonated dynamite,
purportedly killing one policeman. Jonathan left Yenagoa
immediately after the attack. On May 17, a Bayelsa
government official told POLOFF this was Jonathan's mother's
house located outside Yenagoa (Ref A). The Bayelsa State
government's preliminary investigations suggested agitated
university students were responsible for the attack. On May
21, the same government official told POLOFF he could not
provide additional details over the telephone but said he
would provide an update when he meets POLOFF on May 24. No
one has claimed responsibility for these attacks.
2. (S) Comment: This marks the third attack against Governor
Jonathan. The first attack occurred in November 2006 on the
People's Democratic Party (PDP) house in Yenagoa when
Jonathan was campaigning for the party's gubernatorial
nomination (Ref B); the second attack occurred at Government
House on the eve of the presidential elections, April 20.
Most likely this third and most recent attack was motivated
by local political squabbles. However, these incidents
suggest that the selection of Governor Jonathan as the Vice
President will not appease all Ijaws. Within such a
decentralized ethnic group, one's best friends as well as
worst enemies are among your kith and kin. End Comment.
BROWNE
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: 05/21/2017
TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM PGOV PREL NI
SUBJECT: ATTACK ON VP-ELECT'S HOUSE MARKS THIRD ATTACK IN
SEVEN MONTHS
REF: A. LAGOS 355
B. 06 LAGOS 1430
C. LAGOS 343
Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D)
1. (C) Vice President-elect Governor Goodluck Jonathan's
country residence in Bayelsa State was attacked early morning
on May 16. According to press reports, militants approached
the house by boat, fired shots and detonated dynamite,
purportedly killing one policeman. Jonathan left Yenagoa
immediately after the attack. On May 17, a Bayelsa
government official told POLOFF this was Jonathan's mother's
house located outside Yenagoa (Ref A). The Bayelsa State
government's preliminary investigations suggested agitated
university students were responsible for the attack. On May
21, the same government official told POLOFF he could not
provide additional details over the telephone but said he
would provide an update when he meets POLOFF on May 24. No
one has claimed responsibility for these attacks.
2. (S) Comment: This marks the third attack against Governor
Jonathan. The first attack occurred in November 2006 on the
People's Democratic Party (PDP) house in Yenagoa when
Jonathan was campaigning for the party's gubernatorial
nomination (Ref B); the second attack occurred at Government
House on the eve of the presidential elections, April 20.
Most likely this third and most recent attack was motivated
by local political squabbles. However, these incidents
suggest that the selection of Governor Jonathan as the Vice
President will not appease all Ijaws. Within such a
decentralized ethnic group, one's best friends as well as
worst enemies are among your kith and kin. End Comment.
BROWNE