Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ABUJA2296
2008-11-21 12:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:  

NIGERIA: ICE ATTACHE REACHES OUT TO ANTI-TIP

Tags:  PHUM PGOV KTIP ASEC DS NI 
pdf how-to read a cable
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FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4521
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 1512
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE 0499
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 0308
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002296 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W, INR/AA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KTIP ASEC DS NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ICE ATTACHE REACHES OUT TO ANTI-TIP
ORGANIZATIONS

REF: ABUJA 2200

Classified By: Political Counselor Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b
& d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 002296

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/W, INR/AA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KTIP ASEC DS NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: ICE ATTACHE REACHES OUT TO ANTI-TIP
ORGANIZATIONS

REF: ABUJA 2200

Classified By: Political Counselor Walter Pflaumer for reasons 1.4. (b
& d).


1. (U) SUMMARY: The United States Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) Agency conducted a Bulk Cash Smuggling
Workshop November 10-13 in Abuja. On November 12 and 13, ICE
Attach Lydia St. John and Poloff met with representatives
from the American Bar Association (ABA),the National Agency
for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP),the
NGO Women Trafficking and Child Labor Eradication Foundation
(WOTCLEF),the International Organization for Migration
(IOM),and UNICEF to sensitize local groups to ICE's mandate
as well as areas where ICE could potentially offer assistance
in addressing human trafficking. St. John informed
interlocutors about ICE's ability to assist with
investigations of trafficking in persons cases if a nexus to
the United States was discovered. St. John also offered
possible workshops and speakers on financial investigations
and victim assistance, to which all interlocutors were
receptive. NAPTIP stated that the Federal Executive Council
(FEC) approved the National Policy for Assistance to Victims
of Trafficking, as well as the Trafficking in Persons (TIP)
National Action Plan. We believe, however, that NAPTIP needs
to have implementation plans in place if it is to make real
headway against human trafficking. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) ABA: During a November 12 meeting, ICE Attach Lydia
St. John (accompanied by Poloff) informed Yinka Lawal and
Anne Ikpeme, Senior Staff Attorneys for the ABA's Africa Rule
of Law Initiative (ROLI),of her ability to assist with TIP
investigations if a connection to the United States were
discovered. Lawal said he was hopeful that such
collaboration would increase the number of high-level
convictions. St. John also explained how the U.S. handles
victims of trafficking when rescued in the U.S. In response,
Lawal expressed specific interest in a potential ICE speaker
attending a future workshop hosted by ABA to focus
specifically on victim/witness protection and assistance.
St. John said that ICE would send a speaker if invited.



3. (C) NAPTIP: On November 13, St. John and Poloff met with
NAPTIP Director of Investigations and Monitoring, Muhammed
Babandede, to discuss possible collaboration on future
investigations and technical assistance. St. John encouraged
Babandede to reach out to ICE if NAPTIP ever came across a
link to the United States in the course of an investigation.
Stressing that it could be something as simple as an American
phone number, St. John said ICE would be able to use its
resources to collaborate with NAPTIP officials in building a
case and arresting suspects if they were located in the U.S.
Babandede said he believed he had some case files containing
such links to the U.S. and would email the information to St.
John immediately. Highlighting NAPTIP's work with other
countries such as France, Italy, Switzerland, and the
Netherlands, Babandede said the only way to get to the
"kingpins" of TIP organizations was through international
cooperation. Noting that the people trafficking humans are
likely the same people who are trafficking drugs and weapons,
St. John stressed the importance of crippling these criminal
organizations by freezing and seizing their assets.
Lamenting a lack of capacity, Babandede requested technical
assistance with financial investigations, specifically
tracing assets. Babandede also inquired about the U.S.
policy on Witness Protection, noting that on November 12 the
Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the National Policy
for Assistance to Victims of Trafficking. St. John offered
assistance in both areas through workshops and seminars.
Babandede enthusiastically stated that he would include such
seminars in his work plan for 2009. Babandede added that the
federal government had finally begun to acknowledge the
gravity of TIP when the FEC approved the National Action Plan
on TIP on August 20; but that no implementation strategies
were yet in place.


4. (C) WOTCLEF: During a November 13 meeting with St. John
and Poloff, Veronica Umaru, National Coordinator of WOTCLEF
explained that WOTCLEF chaired a nationwide working group,

ABUJA 00002296 002 OF 002


comprised of anti-TIP NGOs from across Nigeria. Umaru
promised to inform member NGOs about ICE and their abilities
to investigate traffickers and assist victims in the U.S.
St. John informed Umaru that if a trafficking victim was
rescued in the U.S., they were allowed to remain indefinitely
if they agreed to assist in the investigation of their
trafficker. St. John added that the victim's immediate
family would also be brought to the U.S. and after three
years, the victim would be eligible to apply for permanent
residency. If, however, a victim refused to provide any
information, they would be deported upon completion of
rehabilitation, which could take as long as a year. Umaru,
lamenting that Nigeria offered no such protection or
provisions, expressed interest in having an ICE
representative return to Nigeria to speak on these issues at
the next stakeholder's meeting. Umaru then offered to show
St. John and Poloff the WOTCLEF shelter which housed 16 young
people at the time. Most of the children were in school at
the time of the visit, but the shelter appeared clean and
orderly.


5. (C) IOM: On November 13, Tommaso De Cataldo, Chief of
Party for the International Organization for Migration (IOM)
in Nigeria shared with St. John and Poloff details of IOM's
work with the Nigerian Immigration Service. De Cataldo
stated that IOM's goal for 2010 - 2013 was to strengthen the
Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) document fraud unit. De
Cataldo noted that NIS has shown diligence in its efforts,
but still needed to assess and restructure its organizational
structure to reach optimal productivity. In response to St.
John's presentation about ICE, De Cataldo requested a speaker
and/or training in the area of asset tracing and document
fraud for NIS agents at a 2009 workshop planned and funded by
IOM.


6. (C) UNICEF: During a November 13 meeting, Sharon Oladeji,
Chief Protection Officer at UNICEF, informed St. John that
she would be hesitant to collaborate with ICE due to
confidentiality issues with victims. Oladeji did however
provide the name of a contact at the Nigeria Police Force
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command TIP Unit, who would
be willing to share information about TIP investigations.
Poloff agreed to reach out to this Police contact and will
report back to St. John with any pertinent information.


7. (C) COMMENT: Post believes the training conducted by ICE
is a valuable asset; however, in order to increase
prosecutions and convictions of so-called "kingpins", the GON
needs additional investigative assistance, especially in the
area of financial investigations. The ability to build a
case adequately and follow a money trail does not exist;
until it does, the GON will continue to arrest only the
lowest level criminals. Based on responses from
interlocutors, it is clear that victim assistance and
protection is another area in need of help. Although the FEC
approved the Victim's Assistance National Action Plan, a
strategy for implementation has yet to be developed. We
will monitor whether the GON's actions at this time are in
preparation for the 2009 UN Human Rights Commission's
Universal Periodic Review (ref A),or a true sign of action.
END COMMENT.


8. (U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Lagos.
Sanders