US embassy cable - 02ABUJA3212

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 003212 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O.12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PINS, EAID, MASS, PHUM, MCAP, NI 
SUBJECT:  NIGERIAN ARMY PREVENTS KADUNA FROM BEING A 
GREATER TRAGEDY 
 
USDAO Abuja 3201 
 
 
1.  Summary:  Nigeria's Army bears an international 
reputation for poor professional standards and for 
committing human rights violations.  In Nigeria, that 
reputation is more nuanced, less negative.  Of course, 
Nigerians know too well that soldiers often commit abuses. 
But they equally realize their Army is, in the last resort, 
the best surety of social order as well as the first choice 
for safe haven during bouts of communal violence.  The 
recent communal violence in Kaduna, where the Army restored 
order, gave refuge to thousands, and perhaps saved hundreds 
of lives in the process, showed the other face of the 
Nigerian Army.  End Summary. 
 
 
2.  "Muslims and Christians armed with daggers and machetes 
rioted in two Nigerian cities Friday, burning cars and 
attacking bystanders in a third day of violence over the 
Miss World pageant.  About 100 people have been killed and 
500 injured, Red Cross officials said Friday. ... 
 
 
'The soldiers have been very helpful, giving us bandages 
and first aid.  Everyone is here -- Muslims, Christians and 
pagan.  We are all afraid of going home,' said Habiba 
Ibrahim, who spent the night in the city's defense academy 
near the government clinic where she works. ..." 
 
 
(International Herald Tribune, 23-24 November, page one) 
 
 
3.  The November 25 edition of "Vanguard" reports 250 dead 
and 6,006 families displaced.  If each displaced family has 
six members, approximately 36,000 persons fled their homes 
during last week's violence.  Unconfirmed reports claim the 
death toll may exceed 500; one eyewitness reported the 
burial of 420 Christians.  Kaduna suffered two episodes of 
deadly communal violence in early 2000 (February and May), 
with a combined death toll estimated in the low thousands. 
Then as now, thousands of families took refuge in military 
facilities.  The Embassy cannot independently assess the 
accuracy of any estimate of the victims of this latest 
round of communal unrest to rock ethnically and religiously 
diverse Kaduna. 
 
 
5.  Of one thing we are certain.  But for the presence of 
the Nigerian Army, the numbers -- whatever they may be -- 
would have been higher.  Worried about his family's safety, 
an employee of one Mission member traveled to Kaduna on 22 
November.  He found his home vandalized, each cushion in it 
slashed -- but his family safe in a nearby Army barracks. 
They had fled moments before the attackers arrived. 
 
 
6.  Monday's "Vanguard" shows the breakdown of displaced 
families by location.  77 percent of them (4630 of 6006) 
are sheltering at military and police installations. 
Relatively few even sought refuge in other public 
facilities. 
 
 
7.  Nigerian base/facility commanders have a long tradition 
of opening their gates to those fleeing communal violence, 
regardless of religion or ethnic group.  Those who would 
inflict violence on their fellow citizens have a history of 
not attempting to pursue their would-be victims onto the 
military bases, even though most bases lack robust 
perimeter security. 
 
 
8.  Mobs have less respect for police stations, and reports 
of them being overrun during riots are common.  The police 
are not as well armed, nor are they as respected or feared, 
as the Army.  During unrest in Abuja November 22, several 
police vehicles were burned, and eyewitnesses reported 
seeing one mob beat up a lone policeman and another mob 
disarm a policeman who either held his fire in the face of 
machetes and rocks or had not been issued bullets. 
 
 
9.  While a considerable number of families took refuge at 
police facilities in Kaduna (1357 versus 3273 on military 
bases), the high concentration of large police facilities 
in that city is unusual.  In many parts of the country, the 
only place where the persecuted can feel safe is a military 
base. 
 
 
10.  It is impossible to estimate the additional numbers of 
people who would have died in Kaduna last week if base 
commanders had not given refuge, nor for that matter can we 
to begin to imagine the number of lives this practice has 
saved over the years.  It is safe to say, however, that 
both numbers would be substantial. 
 
 
11.  Meanwhile, in several parts of the country, notably in 
and around Jos, Plateau's capital city, most citizens want 
the permanent joint task forces (Police/Military) to remain 
in place for the foreseeable future.  Whatever the human 
rights lapses of GON security forces, the public has more 
fear of armed robbers and violent, unruly mobs. 
12.  Comment:  The events of last week prove that Nigeria 
is often a harsh place.  Politics, ethnicity and religion 
are tightly intertwined and frustration born of poverty is 
ever present.  An otherwise insignificant incident can 
spiral into a violent expression of inter-ethnic rancor. 
In too many areas of the country, eruption of communal 
violence is just an affront, a shove or minor traffic 
accident away.  There have been times when the misconduct 
of soldiers has contributed to the tension and unnecessary 
violence.  Frequently, however, it is the Army that 
restores order and provides shelter to people who would 
have been further victimized.  Because of the Army's 
generally positive reputation in moments of communal 
violence, many people willingly ran to the safety of the 
various military facilities around Kaduna.  The USG is 
starting programs to build the capacity and professional 
caliber of Nigeria's Police.  For the foreseeable future, 
however, the Army alone will be able to restore order when 
it breaks down massively. 
 
 
ANDREWS