US Suspects Ex-NSA, Mukhtar, Had Links with Extremists

12 Sep 2011

By Tokunbo Adedoja

One of the United States diplomatic cables released by internet whistle-blower, WikiLeaks, has revealed that US government suspected that former National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Abdullahi Seriki Mukhtar, had links with extremists.

The cable, dated December 31, 2008, originated from its Consulate in Lagos and was authored by Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders.

Mukhtar, who was NSA to late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, was described by Sanders as “a closet extremist we need to watch”.

Narrating a December 22, 2008 encounter she had with Mukhtar to discuss a range of issues, including internecine violence in Jos, she said: “Mukhtar, known as a hawk, should also be known now as a racist and anti-Semite."

She said that though they knew that Mukhtar holds a less than favourable opinion about the US , during her encounter with him, hem presented an “even more worrisome personality as he provided more insight into his thinking”.

She characterised his thinking as not only “racist, anti-Islamic (apparently she meant anti-Semitic) and disparaging of official US persons, but radical and fundamentalist”.

She said: “This should give us grave concern in his position asYar’Adua's National Security Advisor, given his easy access to the President where the latter is hearing his strong opinions on the nature of our relationship.”

According to her, “Post believes that we need to be extremely cautious in engaging with Muktar, especially in any official US-based meetings in which he may accompany Nigerian President Yar’Adua. His comments and views border on him being a radical fundamentalist as well as anti-US.”

The envoy then sent a clear warning to her country: “Any USG meeting in which Mukhtar is present should be handled with extreme caution. He is extremely close to certain Arab and Russian elements, and we do not know at this time if those contacts are on the extremist end of the spectrum, but it sounded like it in this meeting with the Ambassador as she listened to some of his dialogue regarding his discussions with both certain Arab nations and Russians on USG policy.

“He is someone we need to monitor and be careful with regarding any conversation with him, and any access to senior USG officials, particularly in Washington in any meeting he might attend with President Yar’Adua.

“His anti-Semitic comments about certain members of the in-coming administration need to be taken seriously and we need to limit Mukhtar's access to senior USG officials in Washington for the time being.”

Describing his view of the world as "bizarre" and "disconcerting", Sanders said Mukhtar's “perception is that the USG's goal was to eliminate Islam, like it did with communism”.

Sanders stated in the cable that she clearly told him that not only was this not true, but it did not make sense.

The US official said she pointed out the range of her country's efforts that debunk this perception, and highlighted not only what the US Mission in Nigeria was doing, but her government's overall efforts to help build better relations in this area.

She also said she “directly asked him then whether this 'perception'that he was stating was also his personal view; Mukhtar refused to answer”.

In the cable, the US envoy said Mukhtar also provided insights into the Jos crises. She noted that the former NSA said he and other Federal Government officials warned Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang not to hold the Jos North Local Government Area election in the manner he did.

She noted that Mukhtar said not heeding the advice resulted in the violence that erupted.

Sanders also said that the former NSA told her that Chadians and Nigeriens participated in the violence, but that they were long-time residents of the area and not recent arrivals.

According to Sanders, Mukhtar said: “There were eight Chadian students who were attending the University of Jos who participated in the fighting once it started, while the Nigeriens have been informal workers in the area for decades," but added, "there was no evidence they had initiated the violence."

The US envoy said Mukhtar told her that he wanted to find a way for Jang to be removed, or to call for another election that would see him defeated.

Mukhtar was appointed NSA by former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2006, when Gen. Aliyu Gusau, Mukhtar’s predecessor, resigned to participate in the 2007 presidential election. Late President Yar’Adua, on assumption of office in May 2007, retained Mukhtar, who eventually got replaced by President Goodluck Jonathan when the latter appointed Gen. Andrew Azazi on assumption of office as president, after the death of Yar’Adua.