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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000749 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NI ELECTIONS
SUBJECT: VIOLENCE AND POLITICAL CLAMPDOWN AFTER SATURDAY'S 
ELECTIONS 
 
ABUJA 00000749  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1.  (U)  SUMMARY:  Since the April 14 elections, Nigeria's 
Inspector General of Police has banned all public 
demonstration, political rallies and protests and issued 
"shoot-to-kill" orders to policemen throughout the nation in 
cases of arson or attacks on police stations.  Excluding the 
apparent sectarian violence in Kano, perhaps 500 people have 
been killed and 400 have been arrested throughout the nation 
immediately prior to and in the aftermath of the election. 
Among those arrested are at least eight opposition candidates 
believed to have won in their districts.  Protests and arson 
continue in some parts of the nation in the run-up to the 
presidential and national assembly polls on April 21. 
Protests by half-naked women have occurred in several states, 
a phenomenon not seen in relation to national political 
issues since the end of Nigeria's first republic.  Overall, 
the political environment has deteriorated throughout the 
week, although the security situation appears to have 
stabilized for the moment.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (U)  Since the April 14 elections, Nigeria's Inspector 
General of Police (IGP) Sunday Ehindero, issued a 48 hour ban 
on demonstrations and protests on April 15.  On April 17, the 
ban was extended to all "open political activity and all 
forms of rallies" until after the Presidential election on 
April 21.  Additionally, a dusk-to-dawn curfew has been put 
in place in at least eight states:  Kano, Edo, Osun, Ondo, 
Kogi, Bauchi, Kebbi and Taraba.  Reports are that other 
curfews are in place, but we have been unable to confirm 
them.  The IGP has also authorized police to "shoot-to-kill" 
anyone suspected of arson or attacking a police officer or 
police station. Ehindero justified the measures by saying 
that "if open rallies are allowed (before the elections), 
there would be massive disturbances of public peace." 
 
¶3.  (U)  Excluding the apparent sectarian violence in Kano, 
perhaps 500 people have been killed and 400 have been 
arrested throughout the nation immediately prior to and in 
the aftermath of the election.  Credible press reports have 
claimed more than 300 dead (including about 27 policemen and 
two soldiers), while Mission sources throughout the country 
suggest closer to 500.  Additionally, property damage has 
been reported in Delta, Rivers, Ondo, Ogun (reportedly 
including one of President Obasanjo's houses), Oyo, Osun, 
Ekiti, Anambra, Imo, Kogi, Kwara, Benue, Nasarawa, Taraba, 
Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Katsina and Kebbi.  Most of the damage 
was to police stations, INEC offices and the houses of known 
or suspected PDP "bosses" in these areas.  Among those 
arrested are at least eight opposition candidates believed to 
have won in their districts. 
 
¶4.  (U)  Newspapers report an assassination attempt on ANPP 
Gubernatorial candidate in Benue Senator Daniel Saror in 
which one of his aides was killed.  The AC deputy governor 
candidate in Plateau state was also killed, according to the 
press.  Adams Oshiomhole, AC gubernatorial candidate in Edo 
state, was tear-gassed and detained while addressing a 
peaceful rally against the results in his state; he has since 
been released.  Before the election, winning PPA 
gubernatorial candidate Theodore Orji was detained by the 
EFCC.  ANPP gubernatorial candidate in Kaduna state Sani 
Sha'ban was detained before the elections as well.  AC 
candidate in Ebonyi state Ogbunnaya Onu was beaten and 
detained just after the elections.  Governorship candidates 
in Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Enugu, Taraba and Adamawa have also been 
detained.  Among others arrested are about 200 arrested for 
various "electoral malpractices" along with about 200 
political activists rounded up after the elections. 
 
¶5.  (U)  Protests and arson continue in some parts of the 
nation in the run-up to the presidential and national 
assembly polls on April 21.  Protests by half-naked women 
have occurred Ondo, Anambra, Edo and Delta states, a 
phenomenon not seen in relation to national political issues 
since the end of Nigeria's first republic.  Protesting naked 
is a sign of extreme displeasure and is generally reserved 
for local issues.  In many instances, these protests are a 
 
ABUJA 00000749  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
precursor to more violent activities and have resulted in the 
deaths or removals of many local officials and traditional 
rulers through the years.  They are taken very seriously in 
the cultures of southern Nigeria. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  COMMENT:  Overall, the political environment has 
deteriorated throughout the week with the ban on political 
activity prohibiting much of the opposition's last minute 
preparations for the upcoming polls.  The security situation 
is tense throughout the country but appears to have 
stabilized for the moment, with many protests shrinking to 
manageable levels. 
CAMPBELL