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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 07 LAGOS 000605 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
NOFORN 
 
STATE PASS DOE FOR DAS JBRODMAN AND CGAY 
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS 
STATE FOR S/CT MTHOMPSON AND JWEBSTER 
STATE FOR DS/IP/AF, AF/EX, DS/IP/OPO, DS/ICI/PII, 
DS/DSS/ITA, CA/EX 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2031 
TAGS: PGOV EPAT PREL PTER CASC NI
SUBJECT: A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A NIGER DELTA MILITANT 
 
Classified By: Consul General Brian Browne for reasons 1.4 (b), (d), an 
d (e). 
 
------- 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.  (S/NF)  On the morning of 11 April 2006, Lagos Acting 
Consul Howe, Lagos Econoff Marcinek, and Abuja Poloff Judah 
embarked on tour of the creeks around Warri Southwest Delta 
State.  The tour was guided by the Federated Niger Delta Ijaw 
Communities (FNDIC), members who have a close and overlapping 
relationship with the Movement for the Emancipation of the 
Niger Delta (MEND) operatives and sympathizers.  In addition 
to seeing the low economic development in the area, Conoffs 
witnessed a limited but impressive display of the firepower 
and speed boats at the militant's disposal and interacted 
with FNDIC/MEND leadership, including a meeting with 
FNDIC/MEND leader Government Ekpemupolo, AKA Ikpompolo AKA 
Tom Polo.  Conoffs were permitted to videotape most of what 
they were shown, including the speed boat/gun display on the 
river as well as a brief glimpse of Ekpemupolo.  End Summary. 
 
---------- 
Club MEND 
---------- 
 
¶2.  (S/NF)  Starting from Miller Creek in Warri, Conoffs were 
led through the network of creeks by MEND/FNDIC operatives. 
By 0650 Conoffs were in the boat and on their way to the 
creeks.   The boat headed directly to Camp Five, the tour's 
first stop. 
 
¶3.  (S/NF)  Camp Five: 
 
¶A.  During the January ) March 2006 crises MEND/FNDIC housed 
both sets of hostages at Camp Five .  After disembarking the 
boat, the group was "blessed" based on traditional Ijaw 
rites.  The rites involved sprinkling of creek water on the 
person and some spinning/jumping.  With the exception of an 
unloaded assault rifle, there were no weapons or ammunition 
boxes visible in the camp.  Between thirty and forty people, 
all young males, were present at the camp.  Buildings were in 
relatively decent condition given the surroundings.  Conoffs 
were told that the camp's generator had broken so until the 
replacement part could be brought from Warri there was no 
electricity at the camp.  A series of white flags hung at the 
shore of the camp, which Conoffs were told was a religious 
symbol for their god.  Please see below for details about 
Camp Five. 
 
¶B.  Camp Five was located at 05-34.29.64n 005-21-58.10e in 
the vicinity of Setorun on Chanomi Creek in Delta State.  The 
area was once cleared by the construction company Julius 
Berger, but was never developed.  The militants living at 
Camp Five stated that they constructed its eight buildings. 
The eight buildings were made of cinder blocks and/or cement 
with walls approximately 12 inches thick.  All of the 
buildings used the same blue aluminum or tin roofs.  The two 
buildings on the most northwestern side of the camp were the 
two most used buildings in the camp and both had windows and 
glass doors.  There was a large generator behind the largest 
building.  FNDIC leader Government Ekpemupolo spent most of 
his time in the smaller of the two buildings.  The smaller 
building had two antennas attached to long bamboo poles in 
front of the building.  One antenna was to increase GSM cell 
phone reception and the other was used to receive a 
television signal.  Two television antennas were also 
attached to long bamboo poles in front of the larger building 
where the hostages were kept.  The buildings were 
approximately five meters apart.  At any given time there was 
approximately 30-40 militants in the camp.  They were not 
prepared for an attack and spent most of the day in boxer 
shorts and flip-flops.  Only the militants on guard duty 
 
LAGOS 00000605  002 OF 007 
 
 
carried weapons. 
 
¶C.  The two larger buildings on the southwestern side of the 
camp were not completely finished, but were being used.  They 
did not have all of the windows and doors installed.  The 
remaining four buildings in the camp were being used in the 
same manner.  The smallest building closest to the jetty 
served as a security post and housed one guard using a medium 
machine gun on bi-pods with three magazines taped together 
instead of a bandoleer or ammo can.  A sentry was also posted 
under the tree next to the jetty.  The sentry carried an 
assault rifle with one magazine.  The t-shaped dock was made 
of concrete and was approximately five meters long and one 
meter wide.  The 20-foot red shipping container next to the 
jetty contained bags of cement and small construction tools. 
 
¶D.  The vegetation in the camp was low cut grass.  The ground 
was sandy, but firm.  Around the camp were palm trees, a 
variety of shrubs and thick grass resembling small bamboo 
shoots.  To the west of the camp there was a large open area 
approximately 300 meters by 100 meters.  There were no wires 
in the vicinity of the camp, but there were small cement 
foundations in the courtyard type area between the buildings. 
 Foot movement across land within 500 meters of the camp 
would be fast and if approaching from the northwest, would be 
generally concealed to within 25-50 meters of the camp. 
 
¶E.  Separately, the militants claimed to have five other 
camps.  Camp Two was on the Warri River closer to Warri. 
Camp Six was just being started and was in the vicinity of 
Jones Creek flow station in a small creek that ran 
north/south between the Jones and Escravos rivers.  The other 
camp locations were unknown. 
 
--------------------- 
Meeting the militants 
--------------------- 
 
¶4.  (S/NF)  Introductions:  Conoffs were led to a circle of 
white lawn chairs, where they sat down with their boat guides 
and were introduced to Ekpemupolo.  Ekpemupolo spoke little 
during this interaction but was clearly recognized as the 
senior leader.  Camp Five's American guests were first 
presented with some kola nuts and local gin as a traditional 
gesture of hospitality in that region.  Ekpemupolo performed 
a libation before drinking as an offering to the Ijaw deity 
Egbusu.  The tour guides handled most of the conversation for 
the militants during this conversation at Camp Five.  They 
expressed their appreciation for having the Americans visit 
and promised to show the officers evidence of suffering and 
environmental damage suffered by the Ijaw people as a result 
of oil production.  Ekpemupolo developed a travel plan and 
the group then proceeded to several Ijaw villages in the area. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
A Day in the Life of a Niger Delta Militant 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (S/NF)  The first stop was Okerenkoko, where Conoffs were 
shown the pitiful state of underdevelopment: no electricity, 
no clean water, no school or hospital, etc.  Conoffs were 
encouraged to videotape the scene.  Conoffs inquired about 
the alleged damage to the village from the Nigerian 
military's helicopter attacks, but were informed that the 
damage had been repaired.  The answer was not very credible. 
The village had left its school building had been unfinished 
for several years yet the villagers scrambled to repair 
damage from a GON attack only two months ago.  George 
Ekpemupolo's house was one of the best in the entire village, 
though was still fairly small and run-down.  The house, which 
the guides claimed to be Government Ekpemupolo,s, was 
smaller and no different than the average residence in the 
village.  After Okerenkoko, the boat proceeded on to Jones 
Creek and the village of Makaraba, then Benikrukru and Pepe. 
 
LAGOS 00000605  003 OF 007 
 
 
During these brief stops guides highlighted the irony of 
expensive oil industry investment standing across the creek 
from the underdeveloped Ijaw settlements. 
 
¶6.  (S/NF)  Oporoza:  around noon Conoffs were taken to 
Oporoza, the traditional capital of the Warri southwest area. 
 Ekpemupolo was already at this village but did not interact 
directly with Conoffs group during the now standard tour of 
the dilapidated school, stagnant water hole and general 
poverty.  Conoffs were able to briefly record Ekpemupolo's 
face while ostensibly videotaping the library.  Which private 
American donations are funding.  After the tour the officers 
were brought to a meeting hall where the chief of the village 
briefly addressed his guests via a translator.  Conoffs were 
then shown a building, which had allegedly been damaged in a 
helicopter attack from the Operation Restore Hope, Joint Task 
Force (JTF).  There were numerous bullet holes in the house 
but, no conclusive proof that the Nigerian Military was the 
culprit. 
 
¶7.  (U)  The chief presented Conoffs with a list of 
grievances from his community.  Full text of the letter is 
provided septel. 
 
¶8.  (S/NF)  Lunch:  the next stop was Kurutie, the community 
over which Chief Thomas Ekpemupolo presided.  Chief Thomas' 
residence was grand by the local standards, but not what one 
would expect for a large-scale oil bunkerer.  Chief Thomas 
claimed not to speak English and briefly addressed his 
American guests through a translator.  Chief Thomas was the 
most reserved interlocutor Conoffs encountered over the 
course of the day.  Lunch was served only to the guests who 
had arrived on the boat (American and Ijaw) as the others sat 
and watched.  Conoffs were told that it had been a great 
sacrifice to prepare such a lavish (fish and bread) meal for 
the guests and usually it was a struggle for Ijaw villages to 
scrape together enough to eat.  Chief Thomas did manage to 
break his curtness by insisting to give officers his business 
card.  His company was a general contractor service company 
named Tompolo (nig.) Limited.  The head office was listed as 
being in Egwa town, Gbaramatu clan, Delta State with the 
phone numbers:  2348023579097, 2348023067495, and 
¶23453250912.  The branch office was listed as no. 82 airport 
road, opposite old airport, Effurun, Delta State. 
 
¶9.  (U)  The town secretary also provided Conoffs with a 
letter addressing all of their concerns. Full text is 
provided septel. 
 
------------------- 
Militant Fire Power 
------------------- 
 
¶10.  (S/NF)  Show of force: 
 
¶A.  After lunch, the boat returned to Camp Five where three 
fully manned and armed speed boats were waiting to give a 
show of force.  Conoffs were permitted to videotape these 
boats as they sped by and their occupants proudly brandished 
their weapons.  When Conoffs boat reached Camp Five these 
boats sped away.  Upon reaching the camp, Conoffs were shown 
a medium machine gun used at a sentry post at the edge of the 
camp.  The sentry permitted Conoffs to videotape the gun from 
a distance but became agitated when the camera lingered in an 
attempt to catch the serial number on the gun. 
 
¶B.  Militants claimed to have 200 boats and a variety of 
weapons they would use to fight the Nigerian military if 
necessary.  During a show of force exercise, the militants 
used three boats with between 10 - 15 militants per boat. The 
boats were open bow boats approximately 15 feet in length 
with wooden bench seats.  Each boat had dual 75 horsepower 
Yamaha engines and was controlled by one driver from the rear 
of the craft.  The boats were capable of reaching speeds of 
 
LAGOS 00000605  004 OF 007 
 
 
approximately 30 knots while carrying a full load of 
militants and their weapons. 
 
¶C.  The militants had medium machine-guns (7.62 millimeter 
(MM)), rocket propelled grenades (RPG), and AK-47 assault 
rifles.  While traveling in the boats, one the three 
militants in the front seats carried a medium machine, one 
carried an AK-47 assault rifle and one carried an RPG.  The 
machine gun and the RPG were on the outside of the seats 
while the AK-47 was in the center.  There were two or three 
militants in the following two rows of seats and a second 
militant carrying an RPG was positioned on the opposite side 
of the boat from the one carrying the RPG in the front.  The 
two on the outside of every seat carried medium machine guns 
while the militant in the center carried an assault rifle. 
The militants carried 7.62MM bandoleers and also used three 
magazines fully loaded and taped together for the medium 
machine guns. 
 
¶D.  The militants displayed a basic level of tactical acumen 
by staggering the weapons used in the boats and by using 
security formations when traveling.  During the show of force 
the boats traveled together over approximately 10 kilometers. 
 After the show of force the boats transformed in a "V" 
formation to protect the unarmed vessel present for the show 
of force. 
 
¶E.  There was no evidence of any heavy machine guns.  The 
weapons were in average condition and appeared to be 
generally well maintained, but old.  There were .303 caliber 
casings seen in the vicinity of the militant camp, but no 
sightings of high-powered rifles.  One of the medium machine 
guns used at a sentry post at the militant camp was produced 
in 1968 and contained the serial number E6771N.  On the butt 
stock of the weapon was a painted red number "02".  The 
weapon was possibly an Eastern European model machine gun. 
 
¶F.  Separately, MEND/FNDIC leader, Government Ekpemupolo used 
a circa 20 foot open bow vessel with one 200 horsepower 
Yamaha engine.  The vessel was painted gray with a black 
strip down the side and was driven using a steering wheel 
from the center of the craft.  It could travel at 
approximately 40 knots per hour with a small crew.  None of 
the vessels had gun mounts and there were no tripods or 
traverse and elevations mechanisms seen at the camp or on the 
boats. 
 
------------------------------ 
Conversations with a Kidnapper 
------------------------------ 
 
¶11.  (S/NF)  After the show of force, Conoffs met Ekpemupolo 
again.  Ekpemupolo was quiet and let the tour guides do most 
of the talking about problems in the Delta and injustice of 
the federal/state Governments.  After forty minutes of this 
rehash, Ekpemupolo led his American guests and one tour guide 
away from the camp for a "private chat."  This was the first 
time Ekpemupolo became voluble and was the primary 
interlocutor on behalf of FNDIC/MEND. 
 
--Ekpemupolo said he planned to maintain the peace in the 
Niger Delta in order to give the federal Government an 
opportunity to live up to the promises made during the 2006 
hostage crises.  He was not sanguine about the GON's and 
President Obasanjo's ability or willingness to honor their 
promises to improve the Delta.  Ekpemupolo said if the 
federal Government failed to meet their demands, however, the 
Ijaws were prepared to stop the flow of all oil in the Delta 
and would secede from Nigeria. 
 
--Ekpemupolo exaggerated there were 20 million Ijaw youths 
prepared to fight and the youths in his immediate charge had 
nearly 200 boats and enough weapons to sustain a fight with 
the federal Government.  Ekpemupolo was confident the 
 
LAGOS 00000605  005 OF 007 
 
 
Nigerian military would not fight because he believed the 
military feared the Ijaw youths.  He said during the fighting 
between the Ijaw youths and the Nigerian military over the 
past five years the military has either fought and died or 
turned and run at the site of the Ijaw youths.  The militants 
acquired many of their weapons from the Nigerian military. 
Ekpemupolo said in many cases the militants had taken the 
weapons from the Nigerian military after a firefight, but in 
some cases the military turned their weapons over to avoid a 
fight. 
 
--Ekpemupolo said Chevron-Texaco Oil Company would be allowed 
to continue operations for the time being because the company 
was taking care of the host communities and the communities 
were benefiting from oil production.  The Ijaw militants had 
no fight with the Americans or the United States Government 
(USG), but said if it were perceived that the United States 
Government was assisting the Nigerian military in the fight 
against the Ijaw people all oil production would be stopped. 
The militants welcomed the USG involvement and were trying to 
find a way to deal directly with the USG instead of working 
through the GON. 
 
--The militants welcomed international involvement to monitor 
the situation in the region. The militants hoped the USG, the 
British Government and the United Nations would convince the 
Nigerian Federal Government and the international oil 
companies to stop providing the state Governments with the 13 
percent derivation funds and give the money directly to the 
communities or have the oil companies develop the communities 
themselves.  Ekpemupolo said Delta State Governor James 
Ibori, Rivers State Governor Peter Odili and former Bayelsa 
State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha were using the 13 
percent to enrich themselves.  According to Ekpemupolo the 
three Governors received circa six billion Naira per month 
and had completed no community infrastructure projects during 
their time in office. 
 
--Ekpemupolo mentioned that the Nigerian military had to rely 
on the United States or China to fight the militants and 
discussed a Nigerian military request for arms from the 
United States.  Ekpemupolo believed the United States refused 
to sell arms to the Nigerian military and was pleased with 
the outcome, but said China had made a deal with the Nigerian 
military to provide some sort of arms (NFI).  Ekpemupolo 
emphasized the international community should not assist the 
Nigerian military and discussed the ease with which he and 
his militants could kill or kidnap a large number of 
expatriates in the Niger Delta.  The militants were tired and 
had nothing to lose.  If necessary, they would fight and die 
for what they believed in.  (China reportedly sold Nigeria 12 
J7 fighter jets at a cost of USD $251 million in September 
¶2005.  We do not know if this was the arms deal to which 
Ekpemupolo was referring, but it was the most publicized deal 
between China and Nigeria.) 
 
--Ekpemupolo had a good relationship with the former 
Operation Restore Hope JTF Commander Brigadier General Elias 
Zamani.  He said Zamani was a good person who tried to 
resolve the situation in the Delta, but blamed the politics 
in the Nigerian Government for Zamani's redeployment. 
Ekpemupolo claimed to have spoken to Zamani about Zamani's 
removal in mid-April (NFI).  Ekpemupolo said that in 2004, 
while Zamani was the commander of the JTF, he asked 
Ekpemupolo to remove the sea pirates from the Niger Delta. 
The militants killed circa 25 sea pirates and the JTF took 
credit of death of the pirates (NFI).  Ekpemupolo was 
prepared to work with the Nigerian military to secure the oil 
facilities and said the military should remove most of its 
soldiers from the facilities and the militants would replace 
the soldiers to keep the area secure.  Ekpemupolo said there 
were too many soldiers working at the oil facilities now, and 
they were taking employment opportunities away from the 
militants. 
 
LAGOS 00000605  006 OF 007 
 
 
 
--Ekpemupolo worried the Nigerian Government was going to 
send security operatives into the Niger Delta to kill 
expatriates and blame the militants so the Nigerian military 
could strike with impunity.  Ekpemupolo said they did not 
want to and had no plans to kill expatriates. 
 
--Ekpemupolo believed in education and had paid for circa 200 
Ijaw youths to obtain a university degree.  He claimed to 
have nearly 50 youth enrolled in college at his expense. 
According to the tour guides, Ekpemupolo also purchased the 
majority of the books in a newly built library in Oporoza. 
 
--Ekpemupolo claimed to be discussing with GON the release of 
the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF) leader, 
Dokubo Asari into his custody.  It was unclear who in the 
Federal Government Ekpemupolo was speaking with about Asari, 
but Ekpemupolo wanted Asari released to him so he could 
control Asari.  Ekpemupolo said he housed Asari during the 
six months leading to his arrest and that he warned Asari 
against speaking out against the President.  Ekpemupolo did 
not demand the release of former Bayelsa State Governor 
Alamieyeseigha as previous statements from MEND had 
indicated.  While he saw Alamieyeseigha as a partner in the 
fight for Ijaw empowerment, he condemned him for corruption. 
 
--Ekpemupolo said it was important that payment of USD $1.5 
billion by Shell Oil Company to the people of Bayelsa State 
be made promptly.  He said the National Assembly and the 
Federal High Court believed the payments were justified and 
that if the payments were not made problems would continue 
for Shell.  Ekpemupolo claimed to have spoken to the Managing 
Director of Shell during the second week of April 2006.  If 
the payment were made, Ekpemupolo said he would allow the oil 
workers to go back to work in the attacked areas. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶12.  (S/NF)  Conoffs were able positively identify 
Ekpemupolo, who told Conoffs he had not shown his face in 
public in over four years.  Conoffs were able to see the 
weapons and boats owned by the militants and to see the camp 
in which both sets of hostages were held.  During the trip 
FNDIC tried to assert their distance and non-involvement from 
the activities of other militant groups in the Delta region, 
including MEND.  While they could and did articulate this 
difference, the reality is probably much more complex and 
ambiguous.  There are likely symbiotic relationships among 
the various Ijaw groups.  They work together and may have 
overlapping memberships when it suits their purpose.  They 
are separate and distinct when it suits their purpose at 
other times.  In other words, the community of militant Ijaw 
groups is in flux.  The topography of today may change by 
tomorrow. 
 
¶13.  (S/NF)  The militants were very receptive to USG 
presence and our monitoring the situation in the creeks. 
Wanting active USG pressure on the GON to address their 
demands, they would welcome further trips to the creeks. 
Ekpemupolo suggested similar trips to Bayelsa and Rivers 
states as well.  However, we must be careful in our contact 
with the militants.  First, we do not want to unduly raise 
expectations that somehow we will assume the primary role 
resolving the problems of the Niger Delta.  That is the role 
and responsibility of the Nigerian Government.  We also do 
not want to be seen as encouraging the militants.  Last, this 
is the single most important security challenge extant for 
the GON.  Abuja is understandably nervous about the Delta. 
We do not want a nervous GON misreading our intentions and 
actions.  At bottom, our interests are the protection of U.S. 
citizens, U.S. companies and the flow of oil.  We will 
calibrate our contact with the militants to safeguard these 
 
LAGOS 00000605  007 OF 007 
 
 
important interests.  End Comment. 
BROWNE