NDLEA CHAIRMAN GIADE DISCUSSES U.S. TRIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000702 SIPDIS DEA HQS FOR OI,OID,OC,OEE,OSE SECSTATE FOR INL,AL/W, INR/AA ROME FOR RD BENSON AND ARD PASQUARELLO HAGUE FOR A/ARD BOOBAR E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2015 TAGS: PREL PGOV SNAR NI NARCOTICS SUBJECT: NDLEA CHAIRMAN GIADE DISCUSSES U.S. TRIP REF: (A)LAGOS 00602 (B)LAGOS 00398 (C)LAGOS 00409 Classified By: DEA CA SAM GAYE FOR REASONS 1.4 (D AND E) ¶1. (C) DEA CA Sam Gaye met Nigerian National Drug Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman Ahmadu Giade on May 22. Giade wanted to discuss the planned trip by the GON counter narcotics delegation led by the Attorney General, to the U.S. The May 22 meeting was attended by NDLEA's Director of Prosecution and the Chief of Operations. Giade stated the delegation wanted to meet senior U.S. officials, including the DEA Administrator, to discuss Nigeria's counter narcotics performance. The GON is very concerned about how it will fare in the upcoming certification process. ¶2. (C) CA Gaye advised Giade that the GON's prior request for meetings in Washington had not provided sufficient notice. CA Gaye said more time was needed to plan a productive meeting with the Administrator. CA Gaye advised Giade that the annual report card was due in June. A visit after the report card would be more productive. Giade agreed but wanted to know the timeline for submission of the report card so that he could inform the AG. At this point, both NDLEA directors left the office so that Giade and CA Gaye could have a one-on-one meeting. ¶3. (C) Giade said he wanted to discuss the corruption allegations involving Vincent Ossai, NDLEA's former Coordinator for International Affairs (reftels). Giade informed CA Gaye that the Attorney General had "cleared" Ossai of misconduct and that Ossai has been reassigned to his position as International Coordinator. Giade added he did not agree with the decision, due to numerous credible allegations of visa improprieties and misconduct against Ossai. Giade also viewed the reassignment of Ossai to the same position as a personal affront to him. Giade suggested the AG's decision on Ossai was influenced by some powerful people in the government. ¶4. (C) In response, CA Gaye told Giade such personnel decisions were entirely within the jurisdiction of the Nigerian Government and we have no desire to interfere in the internal workings of the agency. However, due to the credible evidence against Ossai, DEA can not deal with Ossai on operational, visa and other sensitive matters. CA Gaye also reminded Giade that "corruption" was a benchmark in the annual certification process and that Ossai's reassignment may be a factor in our certification assessment. CA Gaye advised Giade that he will inform Washington about the decision on Ossai. ¶5. (C) Comment: A credible source told DEA that Andy Uba, Special Asssistant to President Obassanjo on domestic affairs and part of the President's inner circle, has been dabbling in NDLEA internal matters. The source stated when Chairman Giade took over in October 2005, he reassigned four corrupt NDLEA agents from the Abuja International Airport. Uba called Giade and asked him to post the agents back to their assignment. Giade complied with Uba's request. Uba may be the instrument of Ossai's reassignment. The two men reportedly know each other and both are Ibo. End comment BROWNE