Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 05ABUJA1745, MAIDUGURI CUT OFF FROM NIGERIA RAILROAD 5 YEARS ON

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #05ABUJA1745.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
05ABUJA1745 2005-09-19 16:45 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Abuja
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

191645Z Sep 05
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 001745 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE PASS DOT FOR SAMPLE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELTN ECON ELTN NI
SUBJECT: MAIDUGURI CUT OFF FROM NIGERIA RAILROAD 5 YEARS ON 
 
REF:  ABUJA 1514 
 
1. (U) Summary.  Embassy Abuja officers visited the 
Maiduguri train station of the state-owned Nigeria Railway 
Corporation (NRC) on August 19.  Theis depot is the terminus 
of Nigeria's northeastern rail line, but heavy flooding in 
2000 washed away tracks and bridges, leaving Maiduguri cut 
off from Nigeria's rail network since. then.  This has had 
"substantial" negative effects on Maiduguri's commerce. 
About 200 of 500 depot employees remain on the payroll, but 
salary arrears have reached seven months, while Maiduguri 
NRC retirees are 26 months behind in receiving pension 
payments.  NRC officials have not told the Maiduguri 
employeesdepot when the last washed-out bridge might be 
replaced - or even whether this will happen in 2005.  End 
summary. 
 
2. (U) Embassy Abuja economic officer and two U.S. Army 
Office of Defense Cooperation humanitarian-assistance 
personnel traveled in and around Maiduguri, the capital of 
Borno State in far northeastern Nigeria, on August 19-21, 
2005.  On August 19, the officers visited the Maiduguri 
depot of the state-owned Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC). 
Theis depot is the terminus of Nigeria's northeastern rail 
line, but heavy flooding in 2000 washed away tracks and, 
especially, crucial bridges.  These floods have left 
Maiduguri, a major regional trading center, cut off from the 
rest of Nigeria's rail network. 
 
3. (U) Although intact, the Maiduguri portion of Nigeria's 
track network - 223 km (139 miles) stretching southwest to 
Bajoga - has been inoperative since 2000.  Train tracks in 
Maiduguri itself were blocked by mounds of garbage and 
debris.  The Maiduguri terminus used to have four 
operational locomotives, but the NRC now has only one 
working train engine for this stretch of rail line. 
 
4. (U) Maiduguri is an important "trading port" for Central 
Africa and is located near the borders of Niger, Chad, and 
Cameroon.  The Maiduguri NRC employees, including Station 
Master Bashir Abubakar, said the city's loss of the railroad 
has had "substantial" negative effects on Maiduguri's 
commerce.  The severing of the rail connection has reduced 
the quantity of agricultural products, cattle, and consumer 
goods shipped south from Maiduguri, and decreased the amount 
of wheat formerly shipped from Lagos to be milled into flour 
in Maiduguri.  Flour is now brought by truck and has 
increased from 700 naira per sack in 1999 to 1,800 naira per 
sack.  (Comment:  The majority of this price increase is due 
to Nigeria's high inflation, which most years since 1999 has 
ranged between 15 and 20 percent.  End comment.)  Also, the 
cost of firewood in Maiduguri has increased markedly since 
the city was cut off from points farther south. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Rail workers continue to be paid - but months late 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
5. (U) Prior to the bridges' washing out in 2000, the 
Maiduguri rail depot had about 500 employees.  This number 
has now declined to roughly 200 paid employees, in part 
because many workers cannot afford the recurring lengthy 
delays in receiving their salaries - currently seven months 
in arrears.  The NRC also is no longer paying various 
allowances to its remaining employees in Maiduguri, while 
pension payments to railroad retirees there are 26 months 
behind. 
 
----------------------------- 
Nature reclaims the rail yard 
----------------------------- 
 
6. (SBU) The rundown appearance of the train depot was 
reminiscent of a horror film in which the inhabitants of an 
apparently abandoned building come out to greet outsiders - 
as did the depot's employees.  Cattle grazed directly 
outside the station master's office, while one-yard-high 
weeds grew next to the tracks in the main rail yard. 
Employees at the rail yard's Civil Engineering Department 
had converted their building's lawn to subsistence 
agriculture, and elsewhere, corn and crops grew between the 
station's rows of train tracks and the staff housing area. 
The station has three wells, none of which function, and its 
employee health clinic isremains closed. 
 
7. (SBU) The Maiduguri depot still has electric power for 
lights, but no air conditioning.  According to Station 
Master Abubakar, this is because Maiduguri's electricity 
infrastructure is insufficient for powering air conditioning 
in his office.  (Comment:  During their three nights in 
Maiduguri, embassy officers observed almost no nighttime 
electricity that was not produced by privately owned 
generators.  End comment.)  Station Master Abubakar's office 
had no telephone, because he received no government money 
for this purpose.  After detailing the depot's woes, 
Abubakar said sadly, "We are surviving by the grace of God." 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
8. (SBU) As noted, those Maiduguri NRC employees who can 
endure the delay in receiving their wages continue to report 
to the depot.  Given the north's high rate of unemployment, 
wages paid somewhat regularly, even if seven months late, 
offer a fairly high degree of economic security in the 
Nigerian context.  It was notable that five years after 
Maiduguri was severed from the rest of Nigeria's rail 
network, senior NRC officials still had not told the 
Maiduguri employees when the last washed-out bridge might be 
replaced - or even whether this will happen in 2005. 
 
9. (SBU) The British founded Maiduguri in 1907 as a military 
post.  While published figures give the city's population as 
282,000, itthis figure actually  may be as high as 500,000, 
according to an Embassy Abuja political specialist.  Embassy 
officers found very few persons in Maiduguri, both at the 
train station and elsewhere, who spoke even reasonably good 
English.  This was evidence of the continuing deterioration 
of Nigeria's educational system - a problem particularly 
evident in Maiduguri.  Also, Ddespite a diligent search over 
two days, embassy officers found almost no newspapers for 
sale in this large regional economic center, and found no 
newspapers published locally. 
 
CAMPBELL