US embassy cable - 04ABUJA1330

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001330 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2014 
TAGS: PREL, MARR, MASS, PGOV, PHUM, NI 
SUBJECT: SECURITY COOPERATION WITH NIGERIA: OJO MADUEKWE, 
SPECIAL ADVISOR TO PRESIDENT ON LEGAL AND CONSITUTIONAL 
MATTERS 
 
REF: A. STATE 155894 
 
     B. ABUJA 1295 
 
Classified By: Ambassador John Campbell for reasons 1.5 (b),(d). 
 
1.  Summary:  I went over the talking points in Ref. A with 
President Obasanjo's legal and constitutional advisor on July 
28.  He said he would urge the President Obasanjo to make a 
speech incorporating the essential elements included in 
Reftel  End summary. 
 
2.  I met with Ojo Maduekwe, the President's Special Advisor 
on Legal and Constitutional Matters, to, among other things, 
make the points provided in Ref. A.  Maduekwe was highly 
supportive of restoring the U.S./Nigeria military training 
relationship, and observed that the essential elements of a 
presidential statement on accountability have already been 
made by Obasanjo at various times.  Maduekwe said he would 
support with the president making the same points again with 
a military audience. 
 
3.  Maduekwe said that restoration of the U.S./Nigeria 
military training relationship is essential.  He observed 
that the Nigerian military would benefit from human rights 
and humanitarian training because they must often serve, in 
effect, as auxiliaries to the police in cases of ethnic 
strife.  He also made the point that Nigeria is vulnerable to 
penetration by Al Quada and other instruments of 
international terrorism.  While he said there is no evidence 
that such groups have a presence in Nigeria yet, the 
potential is there, and the Nigerian military needs all the 
training help it can get. 
 
4.  Comment:  Maduekwe tarnished his record as a human rights 
lawyer by his involvement with the Abacha regime.  At one 
point early in Abacha's tenure, he promoted himself 
unsuccessfully as a candidate to be Nigerian ambassador to 
Washington.  Subsequently he fell out with the Abacha regime. 
 However, along with many other Abacha supporters, he made a 
comeback in the first Obasanjo government, serving as 
minister of transportation.  Now, he is one of the 
president's legal advisors. 
CAMPBELL