ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY AT RESIDENTIAL HOUSING

UNCLAS ABUJA 000561 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/IP/FPO, AF/W, AF/EX LAGOS FOR RSO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC ALOW NI SUBJECT: ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY AT RESIDENTIAL HOUSING COMPOUND - ABUJA ¶1. (SBU) Summary: During the early morning hours of 22 March 2003, armed robbers penetrated the perimeter of a three-unit Mission residential housing compound. LGF mobile patrol units conducting routine compound patrols thwarted the attempted robbery. There were no injuries and only slight property damage reported. End Summary ¶2. (SBU) Details: At approximately 0230 hours on Saturday, March 22, 2003, two individuals with long weapons were observed by LGF personnel lurking within the grounds of a three-unit Mission housing complex. LGF personnel, including a residential guard and mobile patrol supervisor, immediately summoned assistance from host country police assigned to the mobile patrol vehicle. Upon hearing the radio calls for assistance, the two armed individuals fled the compound through a hole they had cut in the razor wire along top the rear perimeter wall. This wall is contiguous to a vacant residential construction site. ¶3. (SBU) Local police and LGF mobile patrol personnel conducted a security sweep of the grounds for additional assailants with negative results. However, they did discover a heavy-duty pry bar that the robbers dropped while fleeing and shoe marks on the interior side of the perimeter wall. ¶4. (SBU) The following morning, GSO personnel repaired the damaged razor wire and replaced all non-functioning security lights. RSO inspected the damage and determined that the razor wire had been cleanly cut (likely using wire cutters) and that the robbers had started a small fire on the attack side of the wall for additional light. ¶5. (SBU) Mobile patrol coverage of the area has been increased and the Residential Security Coordinator (RSC) will be supervising additional security upgrades at the location over the next few days. ¶6. (SBU) The local police have been notified of the incident. JETER