PLANNING A USG-GON EXTRADITION EXCHANGE

UNCLAS ABUJA 002224 SIPDIS DEPT FOR INL/AAE--PRAHAR AND FLOOD AND FOR AF/W-BOOTH DOJ FOR OIA-JASON CARTER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KCRM SNAR PGOV NI SUBJECT: PLANNING A USG-GON EXTRADITION EXCHANGE This is an action message: Action request for INL/AAE in para 5. ¶1. Several discussions with Nigeria's Attorney General and his staff over the past three months have produced agreement on the terms of an extradition exchange or consultations to be funded by INL and implemented by DOJ's Office of Prosecutorial Development and Training (OPDAT) program. ¶2. The consultations by visiting DOJ/OPDAT prosecutors, will involve 10-15 Nigerian public prosecutors and up to five high court judges in a frank and open discussion of the US and Nigerian processes in handling extradition requests. The main goal of this activity is to identify obstacles to effecient extraditions in Nigerian law and procedures and either correct these or find ways to mitigate them. Also attending will be a few special advisors to the Attorney General and, Mission hopes, the recently retired director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs. Malouku, who has extensive experience in handling past USG extradition requests. The Attorney General's office agrees with our desired priority in selecting public prosecutors who have prior experience in extradition cases. ¶3. The Attorney General has explicitly pledged to form a prosecutorial extradition unit from the pool of public prosecutors participating in this exchange. This unit would consist of four or five prosecutors dedicated to handling extradition cases. Once a new Chief Judge is named to head the Federal High Court, the Attorney General will seek his cooperation in designating one High Court judge to handle extradition cases exclusively. ¶4. Post has proposed, and the Attorney General's office endorses, a mid-October timeframe for the four or five day exchange in Abuja. Post's RNLEO would assist OPDAT with the selection of a suitable site for these consultations as well as all necessary logistical arrangements. The AG's office has not asked for any per diem for participating MOJ prosecutors or High Court judges, though we anticipate funding per diem for Mrs. Malouku and a few participating prosecutors who work in High Court venues outside of Abuja (e.g. Lagos and Kaduna). ¶5. Action Request for INL/AAE: Please coordinate a formal response with DOJ's Office of International Affairs (POC: Jason Carter, 616-3073) indicating OPDAT and DOJ prosecutors' availability to travel to Abuja for a week in mid-October. This activity will draw on existing and unused FY2000 INL funds ($75,000) already obligated to OPDAT for extradition training. Andrews