US embassy cable - 03ABUJA1408

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001408 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/18/2013 
TAGS: EPET, PINS, PGOV, PHUM, NI 
SUBJECT: WARRI CRISIS UPDATE 18AUG03 
 
REF: ABUJA 1387 AND PREVIOUS 
 
 
1.(U) Classified by Counselor James Maxstadt for reasons 1.5 
(b) and (d). 
 
 
2.(SBU) Over the August 15-17 weekend the Ijaw-Itsekiri 
conflict intensified as militant youths engaged in almost 
continuous gun battles in the port area of Warri town. 
According to press reports, at least 30 and as many as 200 
have died since the night of August 15, including four army 
soldiers.  A Nigerian cameraman for Reuters attempting to 
videotape the fighting was briefly held hostage and his 
camera was stolen. 
 
 
3.(C) According to Daniel Ekpedibe, senior advisor of the 
"Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities (FNDIC)" Itsekiri 
militants arrived by boats the night of August 15 and 
destroyed rows of houses and businesses belonging to Ijaws in 
the "McIver" and "NPA" areas near the port.  Initially 
unchallenged, the Itsekiri attackers were soon confronted by 
a group of Ijaw militants in a firefight that lasted until 
dawn of August 16.  After a few morning hours of relative 
calm, Itsekiri militants returned to the Warri port area in 
the afternoon of August 16, meeting better prepared Ijaw 
militants and Federal security forces, and the firefight 
resumed until the morning of August 17.  Similar fighting 
also occurred over the night of August 17, according to 
unconfirmed reports. Local press reports that the army on 
August 16 tightened the curfew in Warri to 6:00 p.m.to 6:00 
a.m. (from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.) but this had little 
effect on the scheduling of the firefights. 
 
 
4.(C) In an apparent counter-attack August 16, Ijaw militants 
reportedly attempted to burn down the palace of the "Olu of 
Warri," the traditional Itsekiri ruler, based in Warri town. 
The press reports that the Ijaw militants encountered Army 
soldiers at the Olu's palace; eight soldiers were killed, 
though the army command claims only one soldier lost his 
life.  A story in the August 18 edition of "The Vanguard" 
(Nigerian daily available online at www.vanguardngr.com) 
claims LtCol Dogo, commander of the Nigerian Army's 7th 
Battalion in Effurun, "lamented that the battalion was 
overwhelmed by the superior fire power of the warriors."  We 
have been unable to obtain confirmation of the Army 
casualties. 
 
 
5.(C) During an August 18 phone conversation with Corporate 
Responsibility Officer (CRO), Delta State Police Commissioner 
Charles Akaya confirmed that a firefight between Itsekiri and 
Ijaw militants lasted throughout the nights of August 15 and 
16 and that police and military forces had moved in to push 
back both sides. One policeman had been killed.  He would not 
comment on reports of Army casualties.  He also confirmed 
that a longer curfew was imposed in Warri town.  Claiming "we 
have the situation under control now," he said  there was 
only "sporadic" gunfire heard in the port area of Warri town 
today. 
 
 
6.(C) Ijaw National Leader Chief Edwin K. Clark assured CRO 
August 17 that, despite the recurring Itsekiri attacks on 
Ijaw in Warri town, the Ijaw militants of FNDIC would not 
counterattack, provided the military takes steps to repel the 
Itsekiri from the town.  Clark blamed Chief Rita Lori and 
other Itsekiri leaders for sponsoring Itsekiri aggression. 
 
 
7.(C) When contacted by CRO August 18, Rita Lori declared "we 
are going after them (the Ijaws).  We are at war."  She said 
Itsekiri villagers were now moving back to the villages 
destroyed during the March 2003 Ijaw attacks, but refused to 
answer on objectives of the Itsekiri attacks in Warri town. 
 
 
8.(C) Comment:  The situation in Warri is chaotic, confused 
and deteriorating rapidly, yet it has not affected oil 
facilities and expatriate workers in Warri more than before 
and they do not appear threatened for the time being.  The 
loss of life among Nigerians is growing at an alarming pace 
and puts enormous pressure on the military to respond.  The 
Joint Task Force put together by the GON seems reluctant to 
put an end to the killing. 
ROBERTS