NIGERIA: NARCOTICS

S E C R E T ABUJA 001956

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/2015
TAGS: SNAR PREL PGOV NI NARCOTICS
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: NARCOTICS

Classified By: Ambassador John Campbell for Reason(s):
1.5 (b),(d)

REF: Lagos 1427


1. Summary: On October 7, I raised with the NDLEA
Chairman, the Attorney General of the Federation and the
Principal Secretary to the President Nigeria's apparently
flagging performance in narcotics interdiction. Reaction
ranged from denial -- the NDLEA chairman said our data
about arrests and interdiction was wrong or incomplete --
to deep concern by the Attorney General, who seemed to
understand fully the importance of the narcotics
certification process to Nigeria and the bilateral
relationship. End Summary


2. On October 7, Dr. Bello Lafiaji, Chairman of the
Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) called on me
to invite me to his book launch on October 10. I took
the opportunity to raise concerns that there have
apparently been no major arrests in Nigeria for narcotics
trafficking since 2001 and no major narcotics seizures
(over 50 kilos) in the same time period. I commented
that U.S. authorities were concerned about the increased
flows of heroin into our country and that arresting this
disturbing trend had become a high priority for us. I
also raised the issue of Nigeria's narcotics
certification, and the need to provide convincing
evidence to Washington agencies of Nigeria's efforts,
especially against major traffickers and large shipments.
Bello showed that he was fully cognizant of the
certification process. NDLEA Chairman for the past five
years, Dr. Bello flatly denied there had been no major
arrests or significant narcotics seizures since 2001. He
defended his agency's performance, asserting there have
been arrests, prosecutions, and convictions of narcotics
traffickers during that period. He promised to provide
detailed reports thereof. As for narcotics seizures, he
explained significant ones had occurred, but many of them
had taken place outside of Nigeria, yet as a result of
Nigeria's interdiction efforts.


3. Later the same day, the British High Commissioner and
I called on the new Attorney General, Bayo Ojo to signal
concern about Nigerian counter-narcotics efforts. I
repeated what I had said to Bello: our information
indicated no major arrests for narcotics trafficking nor
major narcotics seizures since 2001. The British High
Commissioner said his government's information matched
ours. I added that, when I raised this issue with the
NDLEA Chairman, Bello had responded that our information
was incomplete and promised to send me accurate data. I
raised the certification process, with which Ojo was
familiar, and promised to pass to him the latest counter-
narcotics benchmarks for Nigeria once the benchmarks were
ready. The High Commissioner and I expressed concern
about the volume of narcotics apparently passing through
Nigeria. The British High Commissioner said there was
evidence of corruption within the NDLEA (Reftel). The
Attorney General appeared to understand fully the
seriousness of what we said. He asked for a report with
specifics about corruption within the NDLEA, and said
that he, too, would request from the NDLEA data on
arrests, prosecutions, convictions and interdictions
since 2001. He said he would present his findings and
any information we provided to President Obasanjo.


4. (S) On October 7, I called on Steve Oronsaye,
Principal Secretary to the President, to go over the same
narcotics concerns. He took careful notes, and said he
would be in touch with the Attorney General. He, too,
was fully aware of the certification procedure and said
he would welcome receiving the benchmarks as soon as they
are ready.


5. (S) Comment: By way of these meetings the relevant
senior Nigerian officials, save for the President
himself, have been put on notice that we (and the
British) are giving Nigeria's counter-narcotics
performance close scrutiny, and that genuine progress in
targeting major traffickers and toward interdicting large
shipments will be a cardinal factor during the next
evaluation of Nigeria's narcotics certification.
CAMPBELL