ND SPOT REPORT: OKAH ARRESTED, MILITARY PRESENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000638 SIPDIS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - HANDLE ACCORDINGLY SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC OSLO FOR HELENA SCHRADER 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: 09/20/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC NI SUBJECT: ND SPOT REPORT: OKAH ARRESTED, MILITARY PRESENCE REMAINING IN PHC REF: 06 LAGOS 1419 Classified By: Acting Consul General Donald McConnell for reasons 1.4 ( B) and (D) -------------- Arms Dealer Purportedly Arrested -------------- ¶1. (C) Security sources reported on September 18 that criminal arms dealer Henry Okah, known to work in South Africa, Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria (Reftel),had been arrested in Angola. According to a press report, Okah is awaiting extradition to Equatorial Guinea where he will face criminal charges. Security contacts said Okah was arrested while attempting to smuggle weapons out of Angola. Consulate contacts have heard no further details beyond what has appeared in the media about the arrest. Security personnel for international oil companies have expressed concern over what Okah's lieutenants might do in his absence. -------------- Port Harcourt JTF: A Mixed Bag -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Tensions remain high in Port Harcourt, where the 21:00 to 06:00 curfew continues. Security sources and Poloff contacts both reported the military conducted air assaults around the city on September 14, reportedly one day after having received training. The new Joint Task Force (JTF) commander in Port Harcourt, Rivers State improved public relations by issuing a new telephone number for calls from the public alleging problems with military personnel or incidences of violence. The razing of Port Harcourt waterfront properties, announced in August as a way to deprive criminals of hideouts along the waterways, may be delayed for three to four months to allow inhabitants to find other housing. ¶3. (U) Cultist violence in Rivers State remains high as evidenced by a series of text messages received by Poloff identifying recent outbreaks. (Note: Cults are the Nigerian name for gangs, some with animist overtones. End Note.) A full-page article in the September 16 Sunday Vanguard (a south-south oriented news source) describes a "Rivers Cult Massacre" in which the Ogbogoro community attempted to rid itself of its resident cultists. The community's efforts to round up the cultists left three chiefs dead; according to the article, the community has since burned the houses, cars and property of cultists in the area. MCCONNELL