VZCZCXRO5358
OO RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHUJA #0079/01 0221508
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 221508Z JAN 10
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0048
INFO ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 0043
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0016

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABUJA 000079 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL, INR/AA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR EAID SOCI NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIAN NUGGETS -- JANUARY 22 2010 
 
REF: EMAIL:FW: First Draft of Thurday Cable on Jos 
 
¶1. (U) Mission Nigeria provides the following compilation of recent 
political, economic, and social developments not previously 
reported. 
 
 
 
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ELECTION MONITOR REQUESTS MORE INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS 
 
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¶2. (SBU) Attorney Chinelo Iriele, one of ten monitors recently 
appointed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 
for the February 6 gubernatorial election in Anambra, told 
Political Officer January 15 that the group's first briefing 
occurred January 14 in Abuja, at which INEC officials briefed 
monitors on voter lists, poll locations, procedures, and plans for 
the election.  At the briefing, she said, the Nigeria Police Force 
(NPF) impressed her with its planning for the election, leaving her 
more reassured afterwards that a plan existed to deal with election 
tampering, violence, and civil disobedience.  Iriele urged that the 
U.S. and other international missions send observers to the 
election and that they arrive at least one day early to attend an 
official observer briefing.  (N.B.: The U.S. Mission has requested 
official accreditation for its team of observers; other missions, 
including those of Canada, Sweden, Norway, and Germany, may send 
informal observers.  END NOTE).  According to Iriele, committee 
members feel pressure to ensure the Anambra election will be free 
and fair, aware of implications for the 2011 national elections. 
 
 
 
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KIDNAPPERS NAB BABY OF PRESIDENT'S STAFF 
 
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¶3. (SBU) Kidnappers targeted a member of the Presidential staff 
January 19 when they abducted the four-month-old baby of the 
Presidential Aircraft Fleet Commander Air Commodore Aminu Adamu, 
according to the press.  A group of robbers kidnapped the child at 
the family home in Abuja and demanded a ransom of 20 million naira 
(about 130,000 U.S. dollars) from the parents.  The Air Commodore 
was in Saudi Arabia at the time, where President Yar'Adua remains 
under treatment.  Later that night, the baby's mother telephoned 
family, friends, and security who held a vigil at the home. 
Abductors returned the child unharmed after the family paid an 
undisclosed sum. 
 
 
 
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH 
 
------------------- 
 
 
 
 
¶4. (U) The Mission sponsored events in Abuja and Lagos to honor the 
memory of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. The 
Consulate General Public Affairs Section (PAS) and the First 
Baptist Church hosted 250 guests January 14 at a program on 
"Non-Violence as a Force For Social Change," which focused on 
Mahatma Gandhi's influence on Dr. King.  Footage of a student 
workshop on how not to react to violence resonated with the 
audience, which remained sensitive about terrorism accusations 
after the failed attack on a U.S. airliner December 25.  Embassy 
PAS and the International Visitors Leadership Program (IVLP) Alumni 
Association hosted about 300 high school students and faculty 
January 15 for a "Youth Leadership Development Forum," which 
 
ABUJA 00000079  002 OF 003 
 
 
honored the legacies of Dr. King and Sir Ahmadu Bello, who both 
worked for understanding and who both died for their activism and 
beliefs.  The Embassy sponsored a roundtable on "The Role of the 
Citizen in Education" January 19 to celebrate Dr. King's life and 
legacy, featuring keynote speakers from top Education Ministry 
officials and academics, most of whom had participated in U.S. ILVP 
programs.  The audience included 26 guests from education and legal 
sectors, non-governmental organizations, and international 
institutions.  Speeches elicited passionate responses challenging 
the "status quo" in Nigeria.  All events received positive media 
coverage. 
 
 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
NIGERIA DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEY 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 
Nigeria supported dissemination of the 2008 Nigerian Demographic 
and Health Survey (NDHS) in five states during the past month. 
(N.B.: The AFR Weekly of December 10 provided a short summary of 
the NDHS.  END NOTE.)  USAID personnel worked with GON presenters 
to ensure objective and accurate presentations of the findings 
(which included dismal results in several key states) to encourage 
frank discussions with policy makers.  USAID staff urged that 
political, religious, and traditional leaders address the 
disappointing health indicators detected by the Survey.  USAID 
personnel will continue to work with other donors and federal 
health agencies to improve the health of Nigerians. 
 
 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
USAID ROLE FOLLOWING JOS CONFLICT 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
 
 
¶6. (SBU) For the second time in 15 months, violence engulfed Jos in 
north-central Plateau State.  A Conflict Mitigation and Management 
Regional Council (CMMRC) (Inter-Religious Council) established by 
USAID worked closely with government officials and security 
personnel to restore calm.  CMMRC broadcast media jingles, focusing 
on youth, who had committed most of the destruction, to stabilize 
the situation.  USAID-funded Councils in neighboring Kano and 
Kaduna states held meetings and liaised with security and 
government agencies to prevent the spread of violence to their 
jurisdictions.  Mission will continue to monitor the situation. 
 
 
 
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POWER PLANT STALLED 
 
------------------- 
 
 
 
¶7. (SBU) Contour Global Executive Vice President Lee Muller 
expressed frustration January 22 to Lagos Consul General, Foreign 
Commercial Counselor, and Economic Officer over a power project 
that his company is building for Nigeria Bottling.  This 
"in-the-fence" power project, designed to supply electricity to a 
bottling plant, is shovel-ready and can be completed in six to 
eight months.  The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission 
(NERC), however, has yet to issue an operating permit to Contour. 
Muller indicated that NERC has continued to ask "never-ending" 
questions during the past five months.  At one point, NERC 
officials transmitted an electronic-mail message giving Contour the 
go-ahead for construction but indicating that approval for 
operations would come later.  Given that the e-mail did not 
constitute an official letter, Contour did not act on it.  Contour, 
which recently completed a power plant in Togo that won a "project 
 
ABUJA 00000079  003 OF 003 
 
 
of the year" award from the European Union, risks losing 10 million 
dollars.  Contour has several additional projects under 
consideration, including power projects for three Coca Cola plans 
in Lagos, Ikeja, and Benin City. 
SANDERS