COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR FBI DEPTUY DIRECTOR,

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000710 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOS FOR NEA/ENA, AF/E, AF/S, AF/W; AMEMBASSIES FOR AM, DCM, RSO, COS; E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2017 TAGS: OTRA AMGT PREL NI SUBJECT: COUNTRY CLEARANCE GRANTED FOR FBI DEPTUY DIRECTOR, DELEGATION AND ADVANCE TEAM Classified By: Acting Consul General Vicki Hutchinson for reasons 1.4 ( C and D) SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES: Because of the security situation in Abuja, Nigeria, Motor Pool vehicles are not authorized to leave the city between the hours of 2300 and 0600. Flights arriving/departing during these hours will not be supported by motor pool. Travelers using the British Air flight for arrival will need to wait at the airport until 0630 for Motor Pool pick up. Travelers wishing to leave the airport on their own during these hours need to request a waiver via cable to the Chief of Mission. In Abuja, all trips to the airport during the hours of darkness (1900 - 0600) must be accompanied by a police escort at a cost of $8.00, chargeable directly to the traveler. ¶1. (C)U.S. Mission Nigeria warmly welcomes and grants country clearance to FBI Debuty Director John S. Pistole, his delegation (Tracey A. North, J. Donaldson Shamwell, Alan W. Sosebee, Kenneth W. Kaiser, Arther M. Cummings, Welsely D. Lacy, Leonard C. Parker, Russell J. Atanasio and Timothy Sobus) and his Advance Team (John S. Gabriel, A. Scott Peterson, Edward Cundiff, Dennis Dvorjak and Scott Wenther) to visit ConGen Lagos during November 3-9, 2007. U.S. Mission of Nigeria acknowledges security clearance held by DD Pistole, his delegation and Advance Team members. ¶2. (C)Control Officer for this visit in Lagos is Brian VanDeun. He will coordinate with visitors independently. He can be reached on the following numbers: 234-1-261-0050 (OFFICE) 234-803-402-2462 CELL) 234-1-261-1863 (FAX) ¶3. (C)LEGAT Office Lagos will facilitate local transportation and lodging for subject travelers. Reservations have been made for your stay in Victoria Crown Plaza at USD 300 per night. Travelers are responsible for paying the hotel directly for the cost of their hotel bill and the hotel account must be settled prior to traveler's departure from post. It is required that travelers bring sufficient U.S. dollars to pay hotel deposit. It is the policy and practice in Nigeria to pay a deposit when checking into a hotel. NOTE: Only USG employees on travel orders may cash personal checks or use cashier services. Hotels in Lagos and Abuja do accept travelers' checks. ¶4. (U)Direct Charges and ICASS support costs: (Mission Nigeria TDY policy is posted at the following websites: Abuja.state.gov, Lagos.state.gov, ICASs.state.gov, www.ICASS.gov). Each visitor, regardless of length of stay, must bring/forward fiscal data to pay for direct costs of the visit. Each agency, organization, or visiting delegation will be charged for the actual costs attributed to their visit. Direct charge costs include, but are not limited to: airport dropoff/pickup (USD 20.00 in Abuja, USD 25.00 in Lagos),expeditor services (USD 25.00),American and LES staff overtime, field travel by Embassy employees, vehicle rentals, long distance telephone calls, equipment rentals, office supplies, and all other costs directly attributable to the visit. Also for TDYers over 30 days, there may be charges for ICASS support services if cumulative charges exceed USD 2,500 for a TDYer. If your sponsoring agency is not signed up for ICASS services at post, please be prepared to sign an MOU for ICASS support services upon arrival. The agency should provide post with a written communication that states who can authorize the availability of funds, confirm that the agency will pay ICASS charges, provides the agency ICASS billing code, and authorizes the traveler to sign the ICASS invoice generated by the TDY module. Where travel is urgent, TDYers should bring this documentation with them to ensure there are no interruptions in the provision of service. Post will not provide any service to a TDYer staying in excess of 30 days without provision of this documentation before day 30 of the TDY. ¶5. (U)The Mission strongly discourages the use of credit cards anywhere in Nigeria. Visitors should carry travelers Checks, cash or personal checks (for accommodation exchange in the USAID office only). A copy of your official travel orders must be presented to the cashier if you wish to cash any personal checks. Visitors should verify the identification of anyone presenting him or herself as a Consulate or Embassy employee, by checking identification badges. ¶6. (U)VISAS are required for entry into Nigeria and must be obtained prior to traveling. Airport visas are not available nor an option. ¶7. (U)Photography: Permission is required to take photos of buildings, airports, bridges or official-looking areas. These sites are not always clearly marked. Permission must be obtained from local security personnel. Penalties range from confiscation of equipment to arrest. Some Nigerians object to their photos being taken; always ask permission before taking pictures of individuals. ¶8. (U)Checked baggage is frequently lost or delayed from 24-72 hours en route to Nigeria. Travelers are therefore advised to pack clothing and essentials in their carry on luggage. -------------- MEDICAL -------------- ¶9. (U)Malaria prophylaxis should be started one week before arrival, continued through the length of stay and at least four weeks after departure. Visitors must ensure that their immunizations are up-to-date and carry their entire yellow book shot record with them. Avian influenza is present in Nigeria among birds. -------------- SECURITY -------------- 10 (U).a. Electronic Equipment: In accordance with standard regulations and access control procedures worldwide, all electronic equipment must be declared before a visitor brings the item/s behind the Chancery or Consulate hard line. Electronic items such as personal computers, Blackberries, Personal Digital Assistants, etc., must be declared in advance to the resident Regional Security Office prior to entry of the Chancery or Consulate. The visitor should request permission to bring the electronic item/s into the Chancery or Consulate in advance by informing their Control Officer or by contacting the resident Regional Security Offices for approval: For Abuja call 234-9-461-4100; For Lagos call 234-1-261-0050. b. Security regulations govern access to U.S. Government facilities and to classified information and classified information processing equipment. Implementation of these regulations requires that the Regional Security Officer be notified of the full name and type of security clearance, if any, held by the visitor. Without this notification, visitors will require escort in facilities where classified information is stored, produced or discussed. Visitor may use their diplomatic or official passports or State Department building passes, along with a copy of this cable, to obtain a temporary Mission identification card, which is required to access and remain on any USG office compound in Nigeria. ¶11. (U)There is no specific terrorist threat against American citizens or American interests in Nigeria. Rather, the main threat to U.S. citizens and U.S. interests is mostly criminal based upon prevailing economic conditions. Violent crime is endemic throughout the country. Armed street robberies, carjackings, sexual assaults, residential burglaries and credit card fraud threaten every person in the country, foreigners and Nigerians alike. U.S. citizens and official travelers have not been signaled out, but they are generally perceived to be affluent and are subject to the same threat as all other persons in Nigeria. There have also been incidents of violent communal unrest outside Abuja and Lagos during the past several months, and innocent bystanders have suffered. RSO has determined that most violent crimes around Abuja take place between the hours of 2300 - 0600. Post, in consultation with the RSO, has placed a temporary travel restriction on Embassy Abuja motor pool vehicles. Embassy vehicles are not permitted to travel outside of Abuja between the hours of 2300 - 0600. Since the airport is outside of Abuja, travelers should arrange their arrival/departure flights accordingly. ¶12. (U)The security environment in Nigeria mandates that the Regional Security Officer be notified of all travel outside Abuja at least 48 hours prior to the proposed travel. Travelers need to be aware that many areas in the country are significantly less safe than the capital city of Abuja. Travel outside Abuja should be undertaken with caution and scheduled to insure return to Abuja, or another major city, before darkness. ¶13. (U)Poorly maintained roads and vehicles are a danger to travelers. Highway robberies and other violence are real threats. Public transportation, especially buses, is extremely risky and is not recommended. Vehicular accidents are common and frequently draw large, confrontational crowds. Roadside assistance is sometimes non-existent. Always use Embassy/CG Motor pool or a reliable car hire service. TDY visitors under Chief of Mission authority who will be in country more than ten working days are required to receive a mandatory security briefing by the Regional Security Office. Your sponsor will provide you with the date and time of your briefing. ¶14. (U)FOR VISITORS TO LAGOS: Due to the critical crime threat, all official Americans, be they permanent or temporary duty, under Chief of Mission authority, are required to travel to any areas outside of the islands by lightly armored vehicle during daylight hours. During hours of darkness the use of a Lightly Armored Vehicle (LAV) with an accompanying REACT vehicle with armed Nigerian police, is mandatory. ¶15. (U)Scams: Nigeria-based scams are infamous for their cleverness and their ingenuity. These so called "419" scams target foreigners worldwide posing both a financial loss and personal danger to participants. Scams are frequently initiated by credit card use, telephone calls, and unsolicited faxes or letters. No one should provide personal or financial information to unknown parties. ¶16. (U)Hotel security: Hotels used for TDY employees and visitors are relatively safe. Guests should not venture off of the hotel grounds to shopping areas on the street without being accompanied by a seasoned visitor or hotel representative. Also, use of taxis or other vehicles or drivers not specifically arranged by the hotel is strongly discouraged. Visitors must always be cognizant of the presence of commercial sex workers who frequent the casinos, lobbies, pools bars and, at times, brazenly knock on individual hotel room doors, offering their services. If confronted, be firm and the solicitation will usually end. Persistent solicitors should be brought to the attention of hotel security. -------------- PUBLIC AFFAIRS -------------- ¶17. (U)If your office has issued a press release on your visit, please fax a copy to the Embassy's Public Affairs Section (PAS) at 234-9-461-4011, so that we can accurately answer any questions from the local media. PAS frequently arranges press releases, background briefings, press conferences, or one-on-one interviews with Nigerian and resident international press correspondents to help promote USG objectives. U.S. Mission Nigeria can work with you to place op-eds before, during, or after the visit that can advance understanding of the issues. Visitors who will be keynoting or making remarks at the conferences should provide PAS with copies of remarks and handouts, which can reach additional audiences through magazines, newspapers or niche publications. Please advise whether you anticipate or want any media events during your visit. To communicate directly with PAS, please contact in Abuja, Rudolph E. Steward, PAO (Public Affairs Officer) at 234-9-461-4202 (office phone),234-9-461-4011 (fax) -------------- COMMUNICATIONS -------------- ¶18. (U)Email accounts: As a policy, post does not create email accounts for TDY personnel. If you wish to check your email while in Nigeria please bring the IP address or name of your home email server. ¶19. (U)The U.S. Mission wishes you a safe journey and a pleasant stay with us. ¶20. (U)This text was updated in July 2007. HUTCHINSON