MEETING WITH NDLEA INTERNATIONAL COORDINATOR

S E C R E T LAGOS 001692

SIPDIS

DEA FOR OC, OI, OID, OEE, OSE, OIE
SECSTATE FOR INL/LP,AF/W
POST FOR RD AND ARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2010
TAGS: PGOV PINR SNAR NI
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH NDLEA INTERNATIONAL COORDINATOR

REF: (A) ABUJA 2020 (B) LAGOS 1691

Classified By: DEA ATTACHE SAM GAYE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D)

(1) (S) On October 25, at the direction of NDLEA Chairman
Bello Lafiaji, NDLEA's International Coordinator Vincent
Ossai, met DEA Attache (CA) Sam Gaye to discuss counter
narcotics cooperation. Ossai asked to meet outside the
Consulate But CA Gaye insisted on the venue being his office.
According to Ossai, Bello asked him to meet CA Gaye to
clarify concerns raised by the Ambassador to President
Obasanjo (reftel A ). Ossai began the meeting by questioning
the rationale behind the Ambassador and the British High
Commissioner meeting with the president regarding NDLEA's
performance. He said Bello wanted to know if DEA had provided
the Ambassador with "inaccurate information."

(2) (S) CA Gaye reiterated the concerns raised by the
Ambassador to senior GON officials including President
Obasanjo and Chairman Bello Lafiaji. CA Gaye showed Ossai
NDLEA's own drug seizures and arrests statistics, indicating
no dismantling of major organizations or arrests of major
drug traffickers in Nigeria since 2001. During the same time
period, there had been no major seizures of heroin or cocaine
in excess of 50 kilograms and that heroin trafficking by
Nigerians to the U.S. had increased. Ossai agreed with our
assessment but returned to the issue of the Ambassador and
the British High Commissioner seeing the President.

(3) (S) CA Gaye reminded Ossai that the Ambassador had raised
the same concern with Bello prior to meeting President
Obasanjo. Ossai said because of the Ambassador's action,
Bello and his top aides would likely be fired and that
'people want Bello's job". CA Gaye responded that we were not
trying to get Bello removed but reminded Ossai of the need to
swiftly follow up on the Consul General's suggestion to Bello
to have the NDLEA meet with DEA and work out a detailed
strategy for drug cooperation giving particular focus to
reviving the Joint Task Force (reftel B ). Ossai added that
Bello was concerned about Nigeria's narcotics certification.
At this point, CA Gaye informed Ossai that Nigeria was
certified this year but the next "report card" was due in
June 2006. Ossai felt relief that Nigeria was certified and
said the NDLEA has more time to turn this around.

(4) (S) Ossai then said he wanted to deliver a "special
request" from NDLEA Chairman Bello Lafiaji. Ossai said Bello
wanted CA Gaye to tell the Consul General and the Ambassador
that, DEA and the NDLEA have already identified and targeted
major "drug barons" for investigation. Ossai continued, Bello
wanted CA Gaye to go to Abuja and convince the Ambassador
about this fact, so that he can inform President obasanjo
before Bello's pending meeting with the President. CA Gaye
said that he was unaware of the NDLEA identifying any major
trafficker and then asked Ossai "if Bello wanted him to lie?"
Ossai reluctantly said "yes". At this point, CA Gaye told
Ossai that he will not mislead the Ambassador that this
meeting was adjourned. But before concluding, CA Gaye
stressed that the Joint Task Force (JTF) be reconstituted so
that it genuinely can target significant violators.
BROWNE