VZCZCXRO3582
PP RUEHMR RUEHPA
DE RUEHUJA #1537 1701530
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 191530Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6145
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0154
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001537 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/16/2031 
TAGS: PBTS MOPS NI CM
SUBJECT: BAKASSI INDIGENES THREATHEN VIOLENCE 
 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Thomas P. Furey for Reasons 1.4 (b and 
 d) 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary.  Representatives of the Nigerian indigene 
community of Bakassi met with Embassy officers to discuss 
their concerns over the recent agreement to implement the ICJ 
decision on the Bakassi.  The representatives felt betrayed 
by the agreement, and threatened violence to impede the 
implementation of the agreement.  EmbOffs encouraged the 
leaders to use their influence in the community to diffuse 
tensions, and clearly stated that the USG supported the 
Obasanjo-Biya agreement and would not/not support recourse to 
violence.   End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (C)  Bakassi Local Government Area (LGA) chair Ani Eric 
Esin and Bakassi Natives Association representative Tony Ene 
met with DATT and PolMilOff at the Embassy on 16 June to 
voice their concerns over the recent agreement reached 
between Presidents Obasanjo and Biya over the Bakassi 
peninsula.  The Bakassi representatives sought increased 
engagement by the USG in the Bakassi, and expressed hope that 
the US would protect the interests of the Efik community. 
 
¶3.  (C)  The two Bakassi representatives warned of "a lot of 
trouble" if the Bakassi is handed over to Cameroon, saying 
they would "rather die like dogs on the side of the road" 
than be subjected to Cameroonian authority.  They went on to 
claim that their "blood ties" with groups in the Niger Delta 
would give them access to weapons necessary to maintain an 
insurgency.  Returning to this point, the representatives 
stressed that "we may all die as a people, but we will die 
with pride, die with satisfaction."  They mentioned, as they 
had in a previous meeting with the Embassy's Air Attach, 
that they were ready to declare a republic and had both a 
flag and national anthem prepared. 
 
¶4.  (C)  The two representatives displayed a sense of 
betrayal by both the GON and the international community. 
President Obasanjo had repeatedly assured them that he would 
not cede "even an inch" of Nigerian territory, and then there 
was a sudden settlement in New York that ceded the entire 
Bakassi peninsula.  There was no preparation of the Bakassi 
residents, and no consultation prior to the negotiations, 
they said.  A question repeatedly raised was why the idea of 
a plebiscite has been minimized.  The two representatives 
felt that before transferring the Bakassi to Cameroon, the 
people should have a chance to vote, in accordance with their 
perceived right to self-determination, on which country they 
would like to call home.  They said they would rather be 
handed to the US or the UN in a trustee arrangement than to 
Cameroon, a country and people they have nothing in common 
with, not even language (Note:  DATT debunked this notion, 
emphasizing the official bilingual status of Cameroon, and 
the Efik communities in western Cameroon.  End note). 
 
¶5. (C)  PolMilOff stressed in unambiguous terms that the USG 
would not/not support any sort of armed movement opposing the 
transfer of the Bakassi, a position both Bakassi 
representatives seemed genuinely surprised by.  PolMilOff 
went on to emphasize that violence would not address the 
issues of underdevelopment and lack of infrastructure voiced 
by the people of the Bakassi, and would in fact destroy the 
development and international engagement that already 
existed.  The DATT implored both representatives to use their 
positions as community leaders to calm their people and to 
make the transition period peaceful and successful for all 
parties involved, a message echoed by PolMilOff the next day. 
 
 
¶6.  (C)  Comment.  The transfer of Bakassi is a very 
emotional issue for the residents of the peninsula.  The 
sudden compromise agreement implementing the ICJ verdict came 
as even more of a surprise to them than it did to 
international observers.  The threat of local violence in 
Nigeria can never be taken lightly, and the ubiquitous 
presence of small arms and disaffected youth make the threat 
all the more real.  Mission will continue to press the GON 
for permission to visit the Bakassi (a request that has been 
repeatedly denied) to expand engagement with the local 
community.  End Comment. 
FUREY