US embassy cable - 01ABUJA2036

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Identifier:	01ABUJA2036
Wikileaks:	View 01ABUJA2036 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Abuja
Created:	2001-08-16 05:39:00
Classification:	CONFIDENTIAL
Tags:	PREL MOPS CM NI
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 002036 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W BOOTH, AF/RA BITTRICK 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X6 
TAGS: PREL, MOPS, CM, NI 
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ARMY MINISTER ON BAKASSI PENINSULA 
 
 
REF: A. DIA IIR 7 800 0243 01 
     B. YAOUNDE 2643 
     C. YAOUNDE 2449 
     D. STATE 137098 
     E. ABUJA 1889 
 
 
(U) Classified by Ambassador Howard F. Jeter; Reasons 1.6X6. 
 
 
1. (C) After a meeting on security assistance at the Ministry 
of Defense (septel), Ambassador had a private aside with the 
Minister of State for Defense (Army), Lawal Batagarawa, on 
the situation in the Bakassi Peninsula.  Batagarawa stated 
that other than changing the military command structure in 
the area (Ref A), which he noted Nigeria was trying to do 
without an appearance of aggression, Nigeria had no plans to 
take military action against Cameroon.  He explained that 
Nigeria had no hostile intent, and no plans to take action 
unless forced to respond to Cameroonian actions. 
 
 
2. (C) The Ambassador asked about recent press reports of 
exchanges of fire between Nigerian and Cameroonian forces 
(Ref B).  Batagarawa explained that occasionally Nigerian 
fishermen inadvertently cross the nominal border, which can 
cause tensions to rise.  However, he claimed he had not heard 
of any exchange of gunfire. 
 
 
3. (C) The Ambassador noted that the Embassy in Cameroon had 
briefed the GOC on OFR, and had provided the coordinates for 
training, so as to avoid misunderstandings (Ref C).  The 
Minister thanked the Ambassador, and expressed his approval 
of this action. 
 
 
4. (C) COMMENT: We don't believe that Batagarawa was being 
entirely forthcoming.  Despite what could become a very 
serious situation in the Bakassi Peninsula, the GON has 
downplayed the tensions there.  Other than some references in 
the press to the Bakassi Peninsula, we have heard almost 
nothing from our GON interlocutors.  It is possible that the 
Nigerian military is using the disagreement over the Bakassi 
Peninsula as a ruse to argue for additional resources. 
However, MG Ogomudia's remarks and body language during the 
recent OFR 3rd Group Battalion Commander's briefing (Ref E) 
lead us to believe that the level of concern within the GON 
may indeed be very high. 
Jeter