NIGERIA: VETTING OF NIGERIAN BATTALIONS FOR

UNCLAS ABUJA 001302

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL MARR MASS SL NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: VETTING OF NIGERIAN BATTALIONS FOR
LIBERIA


REF: A. STATE 217905

B. FREETOWN 776



1. (U) Post has requested the name of the current
commander of the 26th Infantry battalion as well as other
key officers in the battalion. The Nigerian military has
yet to respond to the request, thus we have not been able
to vet the names of the battalion commander and his core
officers. However, we have checked all available records
at Post and thus far have found no information indicating
involvement of that battalion in any gross human rights
violations. We also have not found any derogatory
information about NIBATT 15 currently deployed in Sierra
Leone under UNAMSIL.



2. (U) Post will vet the names of the battalion commander
and his senior officers once they have been provided by the
GON.



3. (U) ACTION REQUEST: For Department: Please complete
human rights vetting for these battalions as soon as possible
and inform Embassy Abuja of findings.
LIBERI