VZCZCXRO7774
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMA RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO
DE RUEHUJA #2541 3661042
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311042Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4846
INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE
RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0063
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 0005
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0077
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 0244
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1608
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0590
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 0531
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS ABUJA 002541
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR AF/W, INR/AA
AF/RSA FOR MIKE SKARDON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO SO NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: REINFORCING AMISOM
REF: A. SECSTATE 134421
B. ABUJA 2371
C. ABUJA 2347
D. ABUJA 2118 AND PREVIOUS
1. (U) Per reftel, DCM spoke with Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs Ambassador Bagudu Hirse on December 30
regarding reftel request and offer. Hirse underscored
Nigeria's intent to deploy a full battalion to Somalia, and
asked for a note verbale laying out our points so that he
could take it up with his "higher authorities". Note has
been forwarded to Ambassador Hirse.
2. (U) Ambassador is attempting to reach Foreign Minister Ojo
Madeukwe by phone, who is currently out of Abuja.
3. (SBU) Comment: We have raised Nigeria's deployment of a
battalion to Somalia and our willingness to supply equipment
many times over the past year (reftels). Given Nigeria's
track record to date on responding to this issue as well as
the pending $3 million the USG has promised Nigeria for
military equipment, we doubt that the GON will move in a
timely manner on this demarche, but we will continue to push
the issue.
Sanders