VZCZCXRO8314
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #0301/01 1961917
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151917Z JUL 09
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0875
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 0463
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LAGOS 000301 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT PASS NSC FOR MICHELE GAVIN 
COMMERCE FOR KBURESS 
ENERGY FOR GPERSON 
TREASURY FOR DPETERS, RHALL, RABDULRAZAK 
STATE PASS USTR FOR LISER, AGAMA 
STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR KSAMPLE 
STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN, MSTUCKART, JEDWARDS 
STATE PASS TDA FOR EEBONG, DSHUSTER 
STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER 
STATE PASS USAID FOR NFREEMAN, GBERTOLIN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KCOR EPET NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ACTIVISTS SAY ENGAGING COMMUNITIES KEY TO 
NIGER DELTA PEACE 
 
REF: A. LAGOS 66 
     ¶B. LAGOS 107 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  On July 6, PolCouns and PolOff met with 
two social activists from the Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta 
State to discuss prospects for peace in the Niger Delta. 
Sheriff Mulade and Shedrack Agediga admitted that 
vandalization of oil facilities by desperately poor 
residents in local communities was a large part of the 
problem. They argued for increasing the amount of money 
going to the Niger Delta states and said more of that money 
should go directly to local communities. However, both men 
admitted that the money allocated in the past to the states 
in the Niger Delta should have been enough to develop the 
region if the funds had been used for development rather 
than siphoned off by corrupt government officials. They 
lamented that in the last three months the only functioning 
development agency in the Niger Delta, the Delta State Oil 
Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) 
(Reftels) has been co-opted by the Delta State Governor 
Emmanuel Uduaghan (Peoples' Democratic Party - PDP) who is 
diverting funds for personal and political use.  Asked 
about the prospects for peace in the Niger Delta, Mulade 
and Agediga argued that the communities must have a direct 
stake in oil production and infrastructure development in 
order to "take ownership" of both.  While we applaud the 
efforts of Mulade and Agediga, as long as the state and 
local governments of the Niger Delta remain in the hands of 
a corrupt and unelected elite, we fear their efforts will 
have little impact.  End Summary. 
 
"We are the Problem" 
-------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On July 6, PolCouns and PolOff met with two social 
activists from the Niger Delta Orientation Project, Sheriff 
Mulade and Shedrack Agediga, both from the Gbaramatu 
Kingdom in Delta State, to discuss prospects for peace in 
the Niger Delta.  Both Mulade and Agediga are graduates of 
nonviolence training run by the Foundation of Ethnic 
Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN) based on Dr. Martin Luther King's 
philosophy and advocate peaceful change by educating people 
about the long-term harmful effects of pipeline vandalism, 
oil theft, and violence.  Mulade argued that most of the 
problems in the Niger Delta have been caused by the 
residents themselves, saying "we are the problem." Niger 
Deltans, Mulade said, vandalized pipelines and 
installations out of ignorance and short-term greed, 
because they did not understand the long-term consequences 
of their actions.  In the absence of roads, electricity, 
potable water, schools and health care, people felt 
entitled to take what they could get via theft and 
violence. Indegenes need to be taught that they are in fact 
only hurting themselves and shown better ways to secure 
progress and prosperity for the region. 
 
Development Funds Misappropriated 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) Having identified under-development as the root 
cause of the problems in the region, Mulade and Agediga 
first argued that a higher percentage of the government 
revenues derived from oil ought to be allocated to the 
Niger Delta. After some discussion, however, they admitted 
that in fact enough money to develop the region had been 
allocated to the Niger Delta over the last ten years. The 
problem, they pointed out, was that it had failed to fuel 
development because the bulk of those allocations had been 
siphoned off into the pockets of politicians at all levels 
of government.  They claimed that individual Local 
 
LAGOS 00000301  002 OF 003 
 
 
Government Areas (LGAs) received allocations of hundreds of 
million of naira every month but these resources simply 
went to secure or retain patronage.  Meanwhile, the poor, 
Agediga added, were so desperate that they would accept 
payments from anyone to do anything. 
 
Situation Deteriorating 
----------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Mulade stressed that the situation has now become 
worse than ever, particularly in the Gbaramatu Kingdom, 
where development is at a complete standstill since the 
offensive launched by the military Joint Task Force (JTF) 
against militant leader "Tompolo" on May 13. They said that 
tens of thousands of people remained displaced and economic 
activity is disrupted by the blockading of the waterways by 
the JTF.  All of Delta State, meanwhile, was impacted 
negatively by the co-opting of DESOPADEC by the governor of 
the state, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Agedige said.  (Note:  At its 
inception a little over two years ago, DESOPADEC pioneered 
the concept of giving communities a direct say and stake in 
resource allocation and development. The organization 
appeared to be gaining momentum. (Reftels). End Note.) 
However, according to Agediga, for over three months 
DESOPADEC has received no funding directly and Governor 
Uduaghan now interferes in all its decisions, in effect 
corrupting the body into another source of revenue for 
state government officials and their families. 
 
The Way Forward: Get Communities Involved 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) Asked what the way forward was, Mulade and Agediga 
argued that traditional and community leaders had to be 
involved in conflict resolution, oil production, security 
and development. Mulade advocated giving communities a 
stake of between five and ten percent in oil production, so 
that they will "take ownership" and ensure protection of 
the production facilities. (Note: We know of one small 
Nigerian oil company operating in Delta State that is doing 
just that and has so far been spared from community 
problems.  End Note.)  To this end, he said communities 
should be "at the table" when negotiating a peace 
settlement in the Niger Delta.  He added that communities 
needed to be held responsible for the safety of oil 
installations, and recommended paying communities "bonuses" 
if no installation in their jurisdiction suffers an attack 
or vandalism within a set period of time.  Furthermore, he 
said, communities should select and participate in 
development projects in their area to ensure that 
communities get the infrastructure they need while 
residents get employment.  According to Mulade and Agediga, 
if community leaders see the direct benefit from oil 
production and development projects in their communities, 
they will be able to control youths and reduce both crime 
and militancy. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: The efforts of Mulade and Agediga to 
inform Niger Delta residents of the long term environmental 
consequences of their actions and encourage a sense of 
responsibility in government are to be applauded, but as 
long as local and state governments that control 
development and services in the region, remain in the hands 
of a corrupt and unelected elite, we fear their efforts 
will have little impact. The concept of paying communities 
to protect oil infrastructure in their jurisdiction has in 
the past led to "security contracts" being awarded to local 
communities with the result that vandalism has spread to 
previously peaceful communities in order to cash-in on 
security contracts. Even if communities are only paid in 
 
LAGOS 00000301  003 OF 003 
 
 
the absence of "incidents" this amounts either to paying 
the vandals not to act or a form of collective 
responsibility - and punishment.  End Comment. 
 
¶7. (U) This cable was cleared by Embassy Abuja. 
 
BLAIR