CHEVRON MAKARABA PIPELINE SABOTAGED

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000017 SIPDIS COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS AFRICOM FOR CGAY TREASURY FOR DPETERS, RHALL, RABDULRAZAK STATE PASS USTR FOR LISER, AGAMA STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN, MSTUCKART, JEDWARDS STATE PASS TDA FOR EEBONG, DSHUSTER STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER STATE PASS USAID FOR NFREEMAN, GBERTOLIN USDOC FOR 3130/USFC/OIO/ANESA/DHARRIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/30/2020 TAGS: EPET ECON EFIN EINV PGOV NI SUBJECT: CHEVRON MAKARABA PIPELINE SABOTAGED REF: A. 10 LAGOS 10 Classified By: CG D. Blair for reasons 1.4 (b & d) ¶1. (C) On January 8 Chevron's Makaraba pipeline in Delta State was sabotaged. The pipeline has supplied the Escravos terminal with 20,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd). Hercules Manager Coleman McDonough says it is not clear if the pipeline was in production or not at the time of the incident. (NOTE: Sheriff Mulade, President of the Gbaramatu Youth Council, claims the pipeline was functioning at the time it was hit. END NOTE.) Chevron Managing Director Andrew Fawthrop stated on January 9 that this was the result of sabotage but that it was not an act of militancy. The AFP reported on January 11 that the militant group MEND was taking responsibility for the attack, although BusinessDay reported that MEND only sanctioned the attack and did not have any fighters involved. (NOTE: MEND also claimed responsibility for a rumored attack that never happened on December 19. END NOTE.) ¶2. (C) Fawthrop told Lagos CG and Econoff that the January 4 shootings at the Chevron facility involved Ijaw security personnel firing at Ijaw workers (reftel). Two bullets killed two Ijaws and injured an additional two Ijaws. The subsequent pipeline damage was seen as a retaliatory action by the Ijaw community against Chevron. (NOTE: Mulade says the security forces involved in the incident January 4 were the Military Joint Task Force (JTF) personnel seconded to Chevron for protection. END NOTE.) ¶3. (C) President of the Ijaw Youth Council Dr. Chris Ekiyor stated on January 11 that the Chevron location had been having problems between the workers and the contractor for some time. The workers took up the issue with Chevron directly after becoming frustrated with the lack of progress with the contractor. Ekiyor claims that both his organization and former militant leader Tom Polo became involved in trying to pacify the workers stating, "We have this peace, we need to keep this peace." Ekiyor expressed deep concern that the situation could get out of hand and re-ignite violence in the Delta. Ekiyor called for a roundtable and more dialogue between Chevron, the contractor and the workers. ¶4. (C) Both Ekiyor and Mulade, in speaking to Poloff on January 11, argued that Chevron needs to have better control of its security forces. "If you are hiring security forces, you should tell them the rules of engagement," Ekiyor said, claiming that Chevron has given their security a "blank check." This has resulted in the Nigerian Chevron security officer taking a hard line to protect the Chevron facility, he postulated. Mulade concurred with this assessment, saying that the actions of the JTF on January 4 were "uncalled for" and endangered peace in the region. BLAIR