US embassy cable - 05ABUJA1034

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABUJA 001034 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PINR, KDEM, KIRF, NI 
SUBJECT: CHEEKY JIHADIST QUIVERS AS SACK FEVER GRIPS 
GWANDU 
 
 
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Summary 
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1.  On Friday, June 3, Governor Adamu Aliero of Kebbi 
State announced the removal of the Emir of Gwandu, one 
of the most senior traditional rulers in northern 
Nigeria, Mustapha Haruna Jokolo.  Jokolo was quickly 
replaced by General Muhammadu Jega, a retired two-star 
general who twice served as military governor of the 
defunct Gongola State (now Adamawa and Taraba States). 
Authorities in Birnin Kebbi maintained that Jokolo was 
fired for "disrespecting constituted authorities and 
abandoning his sphere of influence."  Jokolo and his 
supporters have rejected these allegations, accusing 
President Obasanjo of ousting him for disagreeing with 
the President.  Two months ago, Jokolo called on the 
Nigerian Muslims to wage a "jihad" against the Obasanjo 
administration for its alleged marginalization of 
Muslims. 
 
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Emir Jokolo Dethroned 
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2.  The Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Mustapha Haruna Jokolo, 
a high-profile traditional ruler whose recent 
criticisms of President Obasanjo were widely reported 
by the local media, was removed from office late on 
Friday, June 3.  By this action, the 53-year old former 
infantry soldier also lost his job as national vice- 
chair of Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the umbrella 
organization for all Muslims in Nigeria, along with his 
chair of the Kebbi State Council of Chiefs. 
 
3.  Kebbi State commissioner for information Audi 
Danbursa told newsmen that Jokolo was removed because 
of his "high handedness and unlawfully staying outside 
Gwandu Emirate."  He accused the emir of showing 
contempt not only to the elected political leaders but 
also to other emirs.  "The Kebbi State Government had 
painfully tolerated the uncooperative and combative 
attitude of the former emir for a long time.  The 
government had to act now.  The man prefers to stay in 
Kaduna and Kano abandoning his principal duty as emir," 
Audi stated. 
 
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Was His Removal Politically Motivated? 
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4.  Governor Aliero, in a meeting with the local Muslim 
leaders in state capital Birnin Kebbi, denied 
insinuations that Jokolo's dethronement was influenced 
by President Obasanjo.  He further told his guests that 
Jokolo was not removed because of his persistent 
opposition to the way the Muslims were being treated in 
Nigeria.  A handful of Muslim leaders interviewed by 
the government-owned National Television Authority 
(NTA) said they were satisfied with the explanations 
given to them by Governor Aliero about Jokolo's fate. 
 
5.  Ibrahim Dasuki, the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, said 
that Jokolo deserves what he gets.  Dasuki, whose 
removal and banishment from office by the Abacha regime 
in 1995 was supported by Jokolo, said that the deposed 
emir was "reckless" in action and in public statements. 
Dasuki averred that Jokolo's recent public statements 
were capable of threatening the national unity and 
peaceful coexistence of Nigeria, particularly Jokolo's 
calls for a "jihad" to oppose Muslim marginalization. 
 
6.  In sharp contrast, Jokolo and his sympathizers 
contend that the presidency was behind his ouster. 
Abubakar Malami, Jokolo's attorney and spokesman, said 
no authorities had questioned the emir, nor was he 
invited to defend himself before he was removed. 
Malami said bluntly that "we know that the Federal 
Government has a hand in this matter.  He (Jokolo) had 
spoken on issues affecting the interest of the people 
of the North and we know the presidency is not happy 
with him.  We intend to go to court because the action 
of the governor is illegal." 
 
7.  Datti Ahmed, national president of the Supreme 
Council of Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN), stated that apart 
from taking legal steps, SCSN would mobilize Muslim 
clerics and traditional rulers to reinstate Jokolo. 
Addressing the press shortly after an SCSN emergency 
meeting in Kaduna on June 5, Datti argued that Jokolo 
was removed because he challenged Obasanjo during a 
Muslim delegation's visit to Obasanjo protesting the 
marginalization of Muslims in governmental appointments 
and the selection of delegates to the National 
Political Reform Conference (NPRC).  Ahmed believed 
Jokolo was dethroned to ensure that "other traditional 
rulers and progressive forces do not raise their voices 
in the struggle for justice, fair play and free speech. 
The motive is clearly to undermine Islam and disorient 
the focus of Muslims in the struggle and fair play in 
the polity." 
 
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Background:  Jokolo Stands Up to Obasanjo 
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8.  Northern Muslim leaders and emirs met in Kaduna on 
March 28 and discussed the alleged marginalization of 
Muslims and established a committee headed by Sultan 
Maccido to meet with President Obasanjo to redress the 
problem.  The committee eventually met the President, 
but Ahmed claimed that "Obasanjo was very rude to them, 
and the Emir of Gwandu stood up and challenged him. 
Obasanjo did not take it lightly."  The media later 
reported that Jokolo had urged Muslims to fight against 
the federal authorities. 
 
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Where Is Jokolo Now? 
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9.  A senior official of Kebbi State Government 
confirmed to Poloff that Jokolo has been banished to 
Nasarawa State.  According to this (unwritten) 
tradition, when an emir is sacked from his position, 
authorities immediately exile him to a town or village 
far from his domain in order to allow the new emir to 
settle in.  Under normal circumstances, the sacked emir 
would not be allowed to visit any part of his domain 
even as a private citizen for the rest of his life. 
 
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The New Emir, General Jega 
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10.  General Muhammadu Jega is celebrating his new 
position as the newly appointed Emir of Gwandu.  Ten 
years ago, Jega, a prince of the emirate lost out to 
the young and amiable Jokolo in a keenly contested 
royal rumble following the death of Jokolo's father. 
Although Jega was Jokolo's senior in the military, the 
kingmakers at the time unanimously selected Jokolo, 
believing he was a better candidate. 
 
11.  The soft-spoken infantry general was born in 1942 
in Jega, Kebbi State.  He joined the Nigerian army in 
1962 and voluntarily retired in 1985.  A course mate of 
former military presidents Ibrahim Babangida and 
Muhammadu Buhari, the new emir worked with Obasanjo 
when he was military head of state.  Jega was the first 
military governor of the defunct Gongola State from 
1976 to 1978 and again from 1984 to 1985, served as 
deputy commandant of the Nigerian Defense Academy 
(NDA), from 1978 to 1981, General Officer Commanding, 
2nd Mechanized Division, 1983 and first OAU peace- 
keeping commander in 1982.  Jega attended NDA in 1962, 
Pakistan Military Academy from 1962 to 1965, Command 
and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, 
from 1972 to 1973, and National Institute for Policy 
and Strategic Studies, Kuru-Jos in 1979.  In his post- 
retirement life, Jega served as chairman of Northern 
Nigeria Development Corporation (NNDC), Kaduna, and 
deputy secretary, JNI. 
 
12.  In his acceptance speech, Jega said he would work 
very hard "to unite his people and foster 
interreligious understanding in his emirate."  Asked 
whether he was aware that his appointment did not go 
over well with some people, he answered: "I don't 
expect everyone to be happy with my appointment but 
with time, people would understand why the change 
became necessary.  I consider the recent happenings as 
part of destiny and I would reach out to the camp of 
the former emir.  After all, we are all members of the 
same family." 
 
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Any Violent Reactions? 
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13.  With the media war by the two opposing camps 
continuing, there has been no report of violence in 
either Birnin Kebbi, the headquarters of the Gwandu 
Emirate, or elsewhere in the North.  Sources said the 
state government took quick preemptive measures to 
frustrate any opposition.  Apart from reaching out to 
Muslim leaders in the state, the government effectively 
mobilized some spokespeople to propagate Jokolo's 
offenses while in office.  Whether the action will be 
accepted still depends on the activities of other 
Muslim organizations like SCSN. 
CAMPBELL