REPORTS OF STARVATION IN NIGERIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L KADUNA 0709 E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: ECON SOCI SREF NI SUBJECT: REPORTS OF STARVATION IN NIGERIA REF: LAGOS 06244 ¶1. CONFIDENTIAL - ENTIRE TEXT ¶2. CONGEN HAS LITTLE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT REFTEL REPORT OF DROUGHT-RELATED STARVATION IN NORTHERN NIGERIA. WE RECOGNIZE THAT THE SITUATION IN SOME AREAS IS VERY SERIOUS, AND WE WOULD, THEREFORE, NOT BE SURPRISED TO FIND SCATTERED INCIDENCES OF STARVATION. HOWEVER, NONE OF OUR SOURCES IN THE AREA HAVE REPORTED IT TO BE A MAJOR PROBLEM, AND WE DOUBT IT EXISTS ON ANY LARGE SCALE. ¶3. THAT THERE ARE SERIOUS FOOD SHORTAGES IN SOME AREAS IS SUBSTANTIATED BY THE REPEATED PLEAS BY THE NORTHERN GOVERNORS FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE--INCLUDING FOOD AID--FOR DROUGHT VICTIMS IN THEIR STATES. MUCH OF THE U.S.--PURCHASED MAIZE WHICH RECENTLY ARRIVED IN LAGOS IS EVIDENTLY INTENDED FOR THIS PURPOSE. IF THE AMERICAN GRAIN ACTUALLY FINDS ITS WAY TO THOSE MOST IN NEED, THE SITUATION SHOULD BE ALLEVIATED SOMEWHAT. LOGISTICAL PROBLEMS IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF AVAILABLE ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES AND THE SIMPLE INABILITY OF THE NEEDIEST PEOPLE TO PAY FOR FOODSTOCKS MAY, IN FACT, BE THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO ANY OCCURRENCES OF STARVATION THAT EXIST. ¶4. ARGUING AGAINST REPORTS OF WIDESPREAD STARVATION IS THE RELAXED ATTITUDE OF THE FMG TOWARD ALIEN DROUGHT REFUGEES IN NIGERIA. NO EFFORTS WERE MADE TO EVICT THESE PEOPLE DURING THE RECENT EXPULSION EXERCISE, AND INTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER MAGORO STATED LAST WEEK THAT NIGERIA IS ACCOMMODATING 250,000 ALIEN DROUGHT REFUGEES ON HUMANITARIAN GROUNDS. IF A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NIGERIANS WERE THREATENED WITH STARVATION, THE FMG WOULD LIKELY HAVE A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE TO SO LARGE A GROUP OF ALIENS COMPETING FOR AVAILABLE FOOD SUPPLIES. ANDRESEN