NIGERIA: PRESIDENT OBASANJO ON NARCOTICS

S E C R E T ABUJA 002020

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/20/15
TAGS: SNAR PREL PGOV NI NARCOTICS
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: PRESIDENT OBASANJO ON NARCOTICS

Classified by: Ambassador John Campbell for Reasons 1.5
(b),(d)

REFS: A) Abuja 1956, B) Lagos 1427


1. (S) Summary: President Obasanjo wants immediate action
taken on Nigeria's flagging performance in narcotics
interdiction and is acutely aware of the consequences
should Nigeria fail recertification. He has recalled Dr.
Bello Lafiaji, Chairman of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement
Agency (NDLEA) from Mecca, where he is keeping Small Salah
(Little Hajj),to energize his agency. End summary.


2. (S) The British High Commissioner and I met with
President Obasanjo on October 20 at the latter's request to
follow up on our previous joint meeting with the Attorney
General on Nigeria's apparently flagging performance in
narcotics interdiction, and my own separate meetings with
Dr. Bello Lafiaji and Steve Oronsaye, Principal Secretary
to the President, on the same subject. Also present at our
meeting was Maj. Gen. Abudullahi Mohammmed (ret),the
President's Chief of Staff. The President had invited the
British High Commissioner, the German Ambassador and me to
join an Iftar (daily breaking of the Ramadan fast) that he
hosted the previous evening for the Muslim members of the
diplomatic corps. On the margins of that event he had
asked the High Commissioner and I to see him urgently on
the apparently failing performance of the NDLEA.


3. (S) I opened the meeting by referring to the increased
quantities of narcotics, especially heroin, entering the
U.S. via Nigeria or through Nigerian hands. I also noted
that no drug kingpins have been arrested in Nigeria since
2001, nor have there been any narcotics seizures of 50
kilos or more since that year. I expressed concern that
the Joint Task Force, a coordinating mechanism between DEA
and the NDLEA appeared moribund. The High Commissioner
described an ongoing case in the UK of a Nigerian accused
of narcotics smuggling who, apparently, benefited from
evidence tampered with by agents of the NDLEA.


4. (S) The President expressed his disappointment. He
said that he viewed improved narcotics interdiction in the
same terms as suppression of trafficking in persons or the
struggle against corruption by the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission: all are central and essential elements
of his presidency. He cut off Gen. Abudullahi Mohammed,
who appeared to be starting to make excuses for NDLEA. He
told Gen. Mohammed to have Dr. Bello Lafiaji return
immediately from Mecca, where he is keeping the Small Salah
(Little Hajj),to re-energize his agency. He also directed
Mohammed to ensure the revitalization of the Joint Task
Force.


5. (S) Comment: The British High Commissioner and I have
touched a Presidential nerve. And, the President is fully
aware of the consequences should Nigeria fail the narcotics
recertification process. It remains to be seen, however,
whether the Presidential directives will be translated into
action.
CAMPBELL