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### Viewing cable 08ABUJA320, S/NF) NIGERIA: KANO BUSINESSMAN ALLEGES YAR'ADUA

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
08ABUJA320 | 2008-02-21 06:30 | 2010-12-08 21:30 | SECRET//NOFORN | Embassy Abuja

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    VZCZCXRO3296
    PP RUEHPA
    DE RUEHUJA #0320/01 0520630
    ZNY SSSSS ZZH
    P 210630Z FEB 08
    FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2117
    INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
    RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 8760
    RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
    RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
    RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
    RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
    RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
    RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

` `

    S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000320

    SIPDIS

    NOFORN
    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR INR/AA, INR/B

    E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/18/2033
    TAGS: PGOV PINR KCOR NI
    SUBJECT: (S/NF) NIGERIA: KANO BUSINESSMAN ALLEGES YAR'ADUA
    CORRUPTION

    REF: 07 ABUJA 2627

    Classified By: Political Counselor Walter Pflaumer for Reasons 1.4 (b,
    c, & d).

    ¶1. (S//NF) SUMMARY: XXXXXXXXXXXX alleged a close
    association between President Yar,Adua and Katsina native
    and rumored smuggler Dahiru Mangal. XXXXXXXXXXXX claimed Mangal
    is the President's "Mr. Fix It," taking care of "anything
    filthy" Yar'Adua needs done in addition to smuggling items
    for several wealthy Nigerian businessmen through Niger into
    Kano. Another Kano business contact corroborated XXXXXXXXXXXX 's
    allegations, but observed that Mangal no longer deals openly
    in illicit activity since Yar'Adua named him a special
    advisor earlier this month. As well, XXXXXXXXXXXX maintained that
    he had been approached by a man claiming to represent First
    Lady Turai Yar'Adua and seeking an USD 2 million pay-off.
    While Post cannot independently authenticate these
    allegations of corruption by the President or First Lady,
    Post has heard rumors of an emergent "Katsina clique" in the
    Presidential Villa. END SUMMARY.

    ¶2. (S//NF) Kano real estate entrepreneur and longtime Mission
    contact XXXXXXXXXXXX told PolOff February
    10 that Katsina native Dahiru Mangal, who XXXXXXXXXXXX contends
    deals in illicit smuggling of goods into Nigeria, is also
    known as President Yar'Adua's "Mr. Fix It." XXXXXXXXXXXX alleged
    a close association between the President and Mangal, dating
    to the former's tenure as governor of Katsina, and claimed
    the latter remains to this day Yar'Adua's "go-to man" to
    accomplish "anything filthy that Yar'Adua needs done."
    Mangal, XXXXXXXXXXXX said, is also the "go-to" for any wealthy
    Nigerian, who wants to import "just about anything" into
    Nigeria. He declined to state whether Mangal smuggled
    weapons, drugs, or persons into Nigeria. (On February 17,
    PolOff queried another Kano business contact, who
    corroborated XXXXXXXXXXXX 's accusations, however claimed Mangal no
    longer goes by "Mr. Fix It" since Yar'Adua officially named
    him a special advisor earlier this month. Allegedly,
    Yar'Adua instructed Mangal to cease any illicit activity if
    Mangal wished to enjoy official recognition by the President.
    The contact implied this may connote, inter alia, that
    Yar'Adua desires to maintain at least the appearance of
    respect for rule of law, and thus, does not want any of his
    close advisors openly involved in suspect activity.)

    ¶3. (S//NF) XXXXXXXXXXXX told PolOff XXXXXXXXXXXX
    several Nigerian businessmen who have employed Mangal's
    services over the past several years. Reportedly, Mangal owns a warehouse across
    the Niger border (likely close to the Katsina border with
    Jibiyya and Maradi) in which he stores hundreds of 40-foot
    shipping containers. XXXXXXXXXXXX claimed Mangal is able to
    import goods from around the world, including China. In
    return, Mangal requests a flat fee of 2 million naira (USD
    17,000), excluding the cost of goods. Approximately 100
    containers per month are brought into Kano, and goods are
    then delivered to clients or sold in Kano's Kurmi market.

    ¶4. (S//NF) Mangal also operates several legitimate
    businesses, XXXXXXXXXXXX asserted, including Mangal Airlines. The
    National Hajj Commission of Nigeria contracted Kabo,
    Bellview, Meridian, and Mangal Airlines for the December 2007
    hajj operations, which transported approximately 100,000
    Nigerians to Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage. (Note:
    Many Nigerian Muslims have criticized the GON's handling of
    the 2007 hajj claiming several thousand Nigerians were left
    stranded in Saudi Arabia and could not return to Nigeria,
    except without extraordinary hardship, and several others
    were never airlifted from Nigeria at all. End Note.)

    ¶5. (S//NF) Moreover, XXXXXXXXXXXX said XXXXXXXXXXXX
    XXXXXXXXXXXX had been approached recently by a man claiming to speak on
    behalf of First Lady Turai Yar'Adua. The person, who arrived
    at the meeting with XXXXXXXXXXXX in a Peugeot with a
    "presidential" license plate, told XXXXXXXXXXXX the First Lady
    would "allow" them to construct the homes so long as she is
    given an advance payment of 250 million naira (USD 2
    million). XXXXXXXXXXXX said he was willing to offer the First

    ABUJA 00000320 002 OF 002

    Lady twenty plots of land instead, to which the presumed
    emissary grimaced. The negotiations, XXXXXXXXXXXX told PolOff,
    continue.

    ¶6. (C//NF) NOTE: During a late January conversation with
    PolOff, XXXXXXXXXXXXX said XXXXXXXXXXXXX
    purchased an USD 10 million house in central London
    approximately 7 years ago, XXXXXXXXXXXXX.
    This house apparently was excluded from President
    Yar,Adua,s public declaration of assets in June 2007, which
    put his total wealth at approximately USD 7 million. END
    NOTE.

    ¶7. (S//NF) COMMENT: While XXXXXXXXXXXX is a trusted, longtime
    Mission contact who has provided veracious information in the
    past, we cannot independently confirm his statements
    regarding Mangal or the First Lady. Certainly, the man who
    approached XXXXXXXXXXXXX seeking a pay-off may simply have been
    attempting to exploit the First Lady's name for personal
    enrichment. We have heard rumors of the emergence of a
    "Katsina clique" in the Villa -- a group of individuals from
    the President's home state of Katsina who reportedly
    constitute Yar'Adua's inner circle and increasingly, control
    access to him. The surfacing of this group may be a
    corrollary to Yar'Adua's lack of national exposure (and
    hence, his deficiently broad support base) and his inability
    thus far to stamp his authority on the ruling People's
    Democratic Party. Rumors abound alleging that the First
    Lady, Special Advisor Tanimu Yakubu, and Minister of
    Agriculture Sayyadi Ruma are involved in corrupt practices.
    Reports of both the First Lady and Yakubu's taste for the
    high life and tendencies toward illicit enrichment surfaced
    during a December 2007 debrief by XXXXXXXXXXXXX
    outlined problems he saw in the Villa and cases XXXXXXXXXXXXX
    was closely watching (Ref A).
    Several contacts from XXXXXXXXXXXXX, moreover, maintain that while
    the President "appeared incorruptible" during his tenure as
    governor, his wife siphoned off millions in public funds for
    private use. Post will closely monitor these accusations and
    report any new developments. END COMMENT.
    SANDERS

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