US embassy cable - 05LAGOS477

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000477 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/W 
STATE FOR DS/IP/AF 
STATE FOR INR/AA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2015 
TAGS: EPET, KJUS, NI, PGOV, PHUM, PREL 
SUBJECT: NIGERIAN MILITARY OPERATION RESULTS IN CIVILIAN 
"COLLATERAL DAMAGE" 
 
REF: LAGOS 276 
 
Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for Reasons 1.4 (D & E) 
 
This is a Joint Consulate General - Embassy Abuja report. 
 
1. (C) Summary:  Bayelsa state representatives acknowledged 
that innocent civilians were probably killed by Nigerian 
soldiers on February 19 when the military raided the 
community of Odioma in search of the killers of twelve 
civilians two weeks before.  Bayelsa state representatives 
characterized the civilian deaths as regrettable "collateral 
damage."  They added that "mini-crises" such as Odioma were 
routine Niger Delta occurrences.  The National Senate has 
established an investigative committee to examine the events. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
"Cult" Group Kills 12.  JTF Response Operation 
Results In Civilian Deaths 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
 
2.  (SBU) On February 3, armed men reportedly affiliated with 
the "Teme" cult group killed twelve civilians, including four 
local council members, who were attempting to mediate a 
dispute between the Odioma and Obioku communities over 
distribution of benefits from a Memorandum of Understanding 
(MOU) with Shell Petroleum and Development Company (SPDC). 
The Nigerian military Joint Task Force (JTF) responded to 
this incident by raiding the community of Odioma to "fish 
out" those responsible.  (reftel) 
 
3.  (C) Two independent journalists told us the JTF likely 
used excessive, indiscriminate firepower in its Odioma 
operation.  Village residents told the journalists the 
military fired randomly into their homes and they were forced 
to "seek refuge in the bush."  The journalists confirmed they 
saw photos of many burned houses and that hundreds had 
clearly been displaced.  The journalists could not confirm 
the number of civilian deaths.  Estimates, however, range 
from a few dozen to several hundred. 
 
4. (C) Senior-level Bayelsa State government officials 
acknowledged to us that JTF members likely had killed 
innocent civilians during the operation.  They maintained 
that the JTF met armed resistance when soldiers entered the 
community.  In responding to this resistance, civilians were 
killed, state officials maintained.  These state officials 
characterized the deaths as regrettable, but necessary 
"collateral damage."  Bayelsa Sate Secretary General (SSG) 
Steve Azaiki told us, "If you are driving a car with seven 
passengers, and suddenly a person appears on the road in 
front of you, you can either hit the person, or swerve to 
avoid him but kill your passengers instead.  The state had to 
act to save the largest number of people.  Though of course 
we are sad that innocents were killed."   Bayelsa state 
governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha initially took a hard public 
line defending the JTFs actions, but later publicly 
apologized to Odioma village residents. 
 
5.  (C) In our private meeting, State officials brushed off 
the Odioma incident as "routine Niger Delta violence."  This 
Day newspaper attributed similar sentiments to Governor 
Alamieyeseigha.   When asked about the National Senate 
investigation into the incident, the governor reportedly 
responded, "As far as we in the Niger Delta are concerned, 
the Odioma crisis is one of such crises in the Niger Delta. 
So, war is a routine.  If the National Assembly has to react 
to every situation, then clearly they will have no time to do 
their legislative business in Abuja because everyday, those 
of us on ground have to contend with one problem or the 
other."  Alamieyeyseigha assured, however, that the state 
would provide the committee with all information available. 
 
--------------------------------------------- 
Nigerian Military Response to Allegations of 
Human Rights Abuse 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
6.  (S) A highly placed source in Ngerian Defense 
Headquarters (DHQ) confirmed that DHQ team was sent to 
Bayelsa to investigate the military's actions.  The team was 
authorized and funded by the Chief of Defense Staff and was 
led by a Commodore representing DHQ with a Colonel for the 
Army, a Group Captain for the Air Force, and Commander for 
the Navy.  The team returned to Abuja on Monday, March 14 and 
a formal, written report is expected.  No time frame, 
however, for this report has been given. 
 
7.  (S) The DHQ source put the JTF's entry into Odioma in the 
context of two years of communal violence between Odioma and 
Obioku.  He said the troops were fired on as they approached 
Odioma and responded to that threat with force.  The decision 
to use force, he said, is delegated to the unit commander -- 
in this case a naval Lieutenant commander.  The source would 
not say who generated the order to move troops to Odioma. 
 
----------------------- 
Who are the Teme Boys? 
----------------------- 
 
8.  (C) Prior to this incident, public and private sources we 
spoke with said they had no prior knowledge of the Teme cult 
group.  Bayelsa state officials added that they were unaware 
of the motive, if any, for the group's February 3 killing of 
the 12-member peace delegation.  When pressed, they said, 
"Who knows with these cult groups. They are evil.  Sometimes 
they kill for no rational reason."   Some press reports claim 
that the group's leader, Osei Clever, is a political thug, 
who had been financed and armed by the governor, but now 
clearly was not under his control.  Furthermore, there is 
some doubt in some quarters as to whether Clever was behind 
the killings since some of the 12 killed were also allegedly 
Teme and rarely do Teme member kill one another. 
 
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Comment 
--------- 
 
9.  (C) The Joint Task Force (JTF) operates in a very 
confusing, chaotic battlespace in the Delta -- a roadless 
area divided by swamps, creeks, and some dry land.  Multiple 
militant groups operate throughout the region and their 
loyalties shift on a regular basis.  Distinction between 
friends and enemies is difficult at best.  In this case, teh 
JTF appears to have been responding to some level of real 
threat from within the community. 
 
10.  (S) The swiftness of the DHQ response to the incident, 
and its apparent independence, is encouraging and not at all 
like previous responses to possibly human rights abuses.  The 
Chief of Defense Staff seems to have gotten the message about 
accountability -- or is at least concerned about avoiding 
additional criticisms and further sanctions. 
BROWNE