NIGERIA: FORMER MILITANT ASSESSES SITUATION IN THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 LAGOS 000323 SIPDIS DOE FOR GPERSON,CHAYLOCK TREASURY FOR DFIELDS, AIERONIMO, RHALL DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS STATE PASS USTR FOR USTR AGAMA STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/24/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL EPET NI SUBJECT: NIGERIA: FORMER MILITANT ASSESSES SITUATION IN THE DELTA REF: A. LAGOS 244 ¶B. LAGOS 245 ¶1. (C) Summary: Sheriff Mulade (strictly protect throughout), President of the Gbaramatu Youth Council (GYC),told Poloffs on July 23 that key players both inside the state governments in the Delta and among the various militant groups operating in the Niger Delta have no interest in ending the violence. He said that illegal bunkerers are organized in a kind of "union" headed by Chief Johnny and able to lobby for the removal of any military Joint Task Force (JTF) Commander who is too effective. Meanwhile, a majority of militants coordinate their action through a joint committee, the Niger Delta Security and Defense Council. (Note: A group using this same name claimed responsibility for a recent attack on Cameroonian security forces in Bakassi.) The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) has proposed several good projects but all have been quashed by the Governor of Delta State, Emmanual Uduaghan. Mulade believes that the best means of creating security and sustainable development in the Niger Delta is to empower the communities and provide roads, "everything else will follow." End Summary. Bunkerers Have "Unions," Militants Coordinate Activities -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Sheriff Mulade is a former militant leader, who has become committed to nonviolence as a result of training by the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN). He retains very good ties to militant youths and leaders still engaged in armed activity, but has obtained credibility as the President of the peaceful Gbaramatu Youth Council. He told Poloffs on July 23 that all the governors and militant commanders in the Niger Delta are interested in continuing the violence. He said that while there are individuals inside the state governments who sincerely want peace and development, far too many in the state and local government areas (LGAs) profit from the current situation. This is in large part because funds for "security" do not have to be accounted for. Hence states and LGAs can enrich themselves if there are "security problems" in their areas. Militant commanders, but not the youths, also profit from illegal bunkering and pay-offs. Mulade said. ¶3. (C) Mulade also reported that there is a "bunkering union" which represents the interests of the illegal oil bunkering industry. The head of this union is "Chief Johnny," who is also a member of the Delta State Waterways Committee. This union lobbies the Army Chief of Staff to replace any Joint Task Force (JTF) Commander who shows signs of being too effective in interdicting bunkering. (Note: The Vanguard newspaper reported on August 6 that the JTF Commander, Brigadier-General Rimtip had received threats that he would be "taken off" allegedly from the "bandits whose 111 illegal refineries were destroyed...in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state." End Note.) ¶4. (C) According to Mulade, the militant commanders have created the "Niger Delta Security and Defense Council" (NDSDC) which is used to coordinate some activity and enables the concentration of forces from several camps in a given action. Initially this Council included the commanders of virtually all the militant camps, but now roughly 40 per cent of the camps have splintered off because they did not want to be perceived as taking orders from the Tom Polo. (Note: Tom Polo is the alias of Government Ekpompolo, a prominent militant leader, who has allegedly received massive pay-offs from the government of Delta State and apparently dominates the NDSDC. End Note.) Mixed Success for JTF -------------- ¶5. (C) Mulade gave the current military JTF commander relatively good marks for his performance. Mulade reported that he participates in meetings of the Delta State Security LAGOS 00000323 002 OF 003 Committee, which meets every Wednesday at 10:00 am and includes representatives of the communities, youth groups, international oil companies (IOCs) and governors. Nevertheless, Mulade estimates that three to four ships with illegally bunkered oil leave the Delta daily because only those ships that do not "settle" properly with the lower level JTF commanders are stopped. He also claimed that the tactic of stopping boats has induced the illegal bunkerers to start small scale refining of crude oil, which is then sold as kerosene. Threats, Bribes from Tom Polo -------------- ¶6. (C) Mulade described to Poloffs a recent personal encounter with Tom Polo. Mulade said he received word that Tom Polo wanted to see him "dead or alive" so he chose to go directly to Tom Polo's principal camp. Mulade described the youths at the camp as "his boys" and said they were very friendly with him. In a face-to-face talk with Tom Polo, Mulade said he was offered a car, a house, "whatever he wanted." Mulade said he turned down all offers because no pay-off to him would help his people. "My grandmother and mother cannot fish," because the waters have been fouled with oil caused by illegal bunkering. Tom Polo asked Mulade if he intended to continue his work to end the violence and bring development to the Delta. When Mulade replied that he did, Tom Polo told him that he would have to kill him. Mulade replied that Tom Polo would have to kill him personally because the youths in the camp would not touch him. Mulade was released. DESOPADEC Performance "Disappointing" -------------- ¶7. (C) Mulade expressed disappointment with the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) which has awarded funds without consultation with the communities and without advance assessment of the suitability or feasibility of sites. For example, hospitals have been located in small villages rather than in larger population centers. On the positive side, Mulade reported that DESOPADEC has developed monitoring capabilities that include bi-weekly visits to on-going projects. According to Mulade, because DESOPADEC over-allocated funds last year, the Chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee in the Delta State Assembly is attempting to gain control of all DESOPADEC's funds, which Mulade believes would be no more than a means for members of the assembly to ensure that their constituencies receive projects. It is Mulade's opinion that Governor Uduaghan (PDP) uses DESOPADEC as a lightning rod to deflect dissatisfaction away from himself and his government. ¶8. (C) Mulade pointed out that DESOPADEC has produced a number of what he considered very good proposals, but these had been quashed by Governor Uduaghan. One such project was the development of six small-scale, modular refineries that would have provided employment for 500 workers each for at total of 3,000 jobs. Another proposed project was a plant to process water hyacinths into a raw material useful in the production of a variety of products; a similar plant has been successful in Thailand. A third proposal was for the construction of a series of small water treatment plans, each employing 150 people. Asked if these projects could be pursued as private initiatives, Mulade said he saw no reason why they could not be. Involving Communities Will Assure Development -------------- ¶9. (C) Mulade believes that the key to guaranteeing security in the Niger Delta is to involve communities in determining development projects so that they have a stake in project completion. If a community selects a development project and the project is sustainable, then the community will guarantee the safety of all those involved. In the long-term the way forward for the Niger Delta is for communities to learn how LAGOS 00000323 003 OF 003 to articulate their needs effectively. Mulade believes it is also important for community leaders to learn how to mediate between the various interest groups in the Delta, including international oil companies and government bodies. Mulade asked for help in identifying and bringing trainers in mediation from the U.S. to the Niger Delta to assist communities to develop these skills. Mulade also expressed confidence that if roads were built in the Delta, then everything else, security, investment and jobs, would follow. This cable has been cleared by Embassy Abuja. BLAIR