US embassy cable - 04ABUJA1675

S E C R E T ABUJA 001675 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/06/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, MOPS, EPET, CASC, PREL, PINS, ASEC, NI, DELTAVIOLENCE 
SUBJECT: DELTA MILITIA LEADER MEETS WITH GOVERNMENT 
 
REF: ABUJA 1673 
 
Classified By: DCM Rick Roberts for Reasons 1.5 (B & D). 
 
1. (S) Dokubo Asari, the leader of a militia recently 
fighting government forces in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, 
met September 29 with GON officials in the capital Abuja. 
Asari claims he met with President Obasanjo.  GON Information 
Minister Chikelu told the press Asari only met with GON 
security agencies, and officials in the Presidency and the 
National Security Advisor's office confirmed to us that he 
met with GON officials in Abuja but not Obasanjo. 
 
2. (S) Our GON sources say the militia was allowed to table 
its grievances at the meeting, was offered that GON military 
forces would not attack the militia if the militia rescinded 
its threat to attack oil workers and production facilities 
from October 1.  Minister Chikelu told the press that the GON 
would continue the dialogue, as if a ceasefire had been 
agreed. 
 
3. (U) Asari told the press that he had met with Obasanjo, 
the Director for State Security (SSS) and other GON 
officials.  Asari said a temporary ceasefire has been 
reached, but pointedly did not retract the ultimatum 
targeting oil workers and oil production facilities.  Asari 
maintained that his militia presented demands that included 
"a fair and equitable revenue-sharing formula (to give more 
GON oil revenue to his area)" and the convocation of a 
"sovereign national conference" to address federalism in 
general and for his region. 
 
4. (S) COMMENT: It is thus unclear whether anything more than 
a temporary ceasefire is in place, although as reported 
reftel the battlefield has been relatively calm the past few 
days. 
CAMPBELL