LAGOS ANTICORRUPTION UNIT REQUESTS USG TECHNICAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 001543

SIPDIS

STATE PASS TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS
STATE PASS DOC FOR PHUPER AND KBURRESS
STATE PASS DOJ/OPT FOR JSILVERWOOD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2015
TAGS: EFIN KCOR KCRM ECON EINV PGOV PREL NI
SUBJECT: LAGOS ANTICORRUPTION UNIT REQUESTS USG TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE


Classified By: Acting Consul General William M. Howe for reasons 1.4(b)

and (d).


1. Summary. (C) The Lagos branch of the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) met with the G8
Anticorruption/Transparency pilot team on September 23 to
discuss its efforts to pursue financial crimes, institutional
capacity to pursue such crimes, and areas in which it would
like USG funding/assistance. The EFCC members emphasized the
need for more training, including an adequate training
facility to accommodate groups of 50 students, and requested
USG assistance in acquiring communication, biometrics, and
surveillance equipment to help in investigations. End
Summary.

--------------
EFCC Lagos Organizational Chart
--------------


2. (U) The EFCC Lagos branch has 317 employees. Out of 317
employees, 103 are police operatives, 54 are civilians, 77
are graduated police cadets, 44 are uniformed police, 33 are
drivers/dispatchers, five are customs officials, five are
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) representatives, and two
Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) officials.
Their Lagos headquarters consists of six sections: Economic
Governance, Advance Fee Fraud, Bank Fraud, General
Investigation, Miscellaneous/Economic Sabotage, and
Anti-Terrorism.

--------------
Investigating Charges Against State Governors
--------------


3. (SBU) The G8 team met with EFCC members at their Lagos
headquarters on September 23 to discuss the EFCC's current
record in combating financial crimes. EFCC Director General
Akomaye stated the EFCC had seized assets of a number of
prominent Nigerian officials including the former Minister of
Education, former Inspector General of Police, several
senators, and several state governors.


4. (C) Lagos EFCC Director of Operations, Ibrahim Lamorde,
said currently the EFCC was investigating corruption charges
against the governors of Taraba, Ondo, Ekiti, and Yobe
states. Lamorde complained about the difficulties in these
investigations because the governors, under the Nigerian
constitution, are immune from prosecution. As a result, the
EFCC was targeting individuals who directly or indirectly
assisted these state governors.

--------------
Training and Modern Equipment Needed
--------------


5. (SBU) Lamorde said the EFCC Lagos branch was not digitally
connected and he would like USG assistance for more training
in modern technology and techniques of investigation.
Specifically, he mentioned forensic training and training on
cyber crime investigation. Lagos EFCC Bank Fraud Head
Mohammed Wakili said his section would appreciate counterfeit
document detection training including the identification of
counterfeit checks, currencies, and other financial
documents. Lamorde and DG Akomaye asserted the need for a
training facility to accommodate groups of 50 or more
students. In addition to training, EFCC members asked for
USG assistance in building computer databases, computer
forensics and biometric fingerprinting equipment, and
communication and surveillance equipment.

--------------
Comment
--------------


6. (C) The September 23 Lagos EFCC meetings highlighted the
areas in which the EFCC could benefit from USG assistance.
Criticism remains that the EFCC is a political organization
used to carry out political vendettas on behalf of senior
members in the Nigerian government, specifically the
president. Whether politically motivated or not, the EFCC
has had some success in pursuing financial crimes, combating
corruption, and seizing assets. End Comment.
Members of the EFCC team included: EFCC Director General
Emmanuel Akomaye, Lagos EFCC Director of Operations Ibrahim
Lamorde, Bank Fraud Section Head Mohammed Wakili, Economic
Governance Head Ali Janga, General Investigation Section Head
Umar Sanda, Advance Fee Fraud Section Head Olaolu Adegbite,
Anti-Terrorism Head Rabe Naser, and Port Harcourt Head of
Operations Emeka Nwoji. Members of the USG team included:
INL/C Gary Peters, Treasury/OTA Jerry Rowe, Treasury/Fincen
Jerry Crawford, DOJ Margo Brodie, and Econoff/notetaker Ken
Reiman.

This cable has been cleared by Senior Advisor Bureau of
International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Gary L. Peters.
WHOWE