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INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 000260 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2018 
TAGS: PGOV MASS PM PREL NI
SUBJECT: THE OFFER THAT WASN'T: NIGERIAN HELICOPTERS FOR 
DARFUR 
 
REF: USUN NY 0076 
 
Classified By: Political Counselor Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b 
& d). 
 
¶1. (C) SUMMARY:  Per reftel, Nigerian military advisor to the 
United Nations Brigadier General Benjamin T. Obasa indicated 
that the Government of Nigeria was considering providing all 
required helicopter assets for UNAMID.  Post's subsequent 
approaches to the GON on the matter elicited blank stares, 
and it appears that Obasa was never authorized to make the 
offer in the first place.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (C) Reftel reports General Obasa's offer of twelve 
much-needed attack and transport helicopters to be put at the 
disposal of the UNAMID deployment.  Post's follow-up with GON 
officials, however, indicates that Obasa's offer is unknown 
within Defense Headquarters, and that he was not authorized 
to make it.  Furthermore, Post believes that, due to 
operational needs in the Niger Delta and poor maintenance, 
Nigeria's helicopter fleet likely does not even include 
twelve aircraft that could be detached for UNAMID. 
 
¶3. (C//NF) COMMENT:  We believe that Obasa has spent years 
outside of Nigeria on various staff and training assignments. 
 His last assignment was as Foreign Liaison for Defense 
Intelligence, and we doubt that he is now in any type of 
position that would allow him access to current information 
on the state of Nigeria's helicopter fleet.  In any event, 
the offer does not appear to be bonafide.  The February 7 
edition of the popular daily newspaper "Punch" quotes Defense 
Minister Ahmed as citing UNAMID's need for combat helicopter 
support, and lamenting the UN's inability to provide them -- 
but he makes no mention of Nigeria's ability and willingness 
to meet such a need.  Uncoordinated, undisciplined statements 
from GON military officials are not at all unusual, and are 
just one of the challenges of Nigeria's complex 
political/military environments. END COMMENT. 
SANDERS