NIGER DELTA: AMAECHI PLEDGES TO SECURE RIVERS IN 3

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000070 SIPDIS 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: 02/22/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL NI SUBJECT: NIGER DELTA: AMAECHI PLEDGES TO SECURE RIVERS IN 3 MONTHS Classified By: Consul General Donna Blair for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Summary: Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State told OSAC contacts on February 7 that Port Harcourt would be safe enough in three months for expatriates to return. As kidnappings have decreased oil bunkering has risen, filling militant coffers, according to security contacts. The military Joint Task Force (JTF) has reportedly destroyed four out of seven camps. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi met with many OSAC oil-related companies at a February 7 "security" discussion. OSAC contacts said the Governor vehemently removed the press from the room and spoke extemporaneously to the group, announcing that expatriates should be able to return to Port Harcourt in three months. He did not explain how this would be achieved. Security contacts told the Lagos Regional Security Officer that they would need to see "sustained improvement" before re-mobilizing assets to the region. ¶3. (C) Attendees reported Amaechi appeared to be operating independently of Bayelsa and Delta state governors. (Note: There is no requirement that the governors have to coordinate their security activities. End Note.) One security contact said the Federal Government tasked each governor to make his state secure, suggesting there would be little oversight or coordination from the Federal Government. During this meeting Amaechi requested financial assistance and told the group he gave 60 vehicles to the military Joint Task Force (JTF) but that they needed more. ¶4. (C) One security contact at the meeting applauded Amaechi's active targeting of camps; the JTF reportedly destroyed four out of seven militant camps in the area. (Note: The camps likely belonged to criminal/militant leader Ateke Tom. End Note.) ¶5. (C) A Chevron representative said militant leaders Tom Polo and Dokubo Asari met in Oporoza, Delta State in early February and agreed to return to GON negotiations and not kidnap or conduct criminal activities. Chevron reasoned there have been fewer expatriate kidnappings because oil companies have taken effective security measures; expatriates have lowered their profiles; and oil bunkering has skyrocketed, reducing the need to obtain funds by kidnapping. The Chevron contact proposed Nigerian nationals have been taken hostage either for purely financial gain or as a means of "settling scores." ¶6. (C) Comment: Amaechi did not elaborate on how he would secure Rivers State. However, previous heavy-handed approaches have proven deadly and have not been successful. Another contact (Septel) suggested Amaechi is using local elders to influence militant youth, and if they prove unsuccessful, he would use force to bring the situation under control. End Comment. ¶7. (U) This cable was cleared by Embassy Abuja. BLAIR