Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ABUJA309
2009-02-20 12:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR'S COURTESY CALL ON NEW MINISTER OF

Tags:  KJUS KCRM PGOV PREL NARC NI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7914
PP RUEHPA
DE RUEHUJA #0309/01 0511259
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 201259Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5324
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS PRIORITY 0844
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000309 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017
TAGS: KJUS KCRM PGOV PREL NARC NI
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S COURTESY CALL ON NEW MINISTER OF
POLICE AFFAIRS

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Lisa Piascik for reasons 1.4 (b
& d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000309

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/31/2017
TAGS: KJUS KCRM PGOV PREL NARC NI
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S COURTESY CALL ON NEW MINISTER OF
POLICE AFFAIRS

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Lisa Piascik for reasons 1.4 (b
& d).


1. (SBU) Summary. The Ambassador met with newly appointed
Minister of Police Affairs Dr. Ibrahim Yakubu Lame on
February 10. Dr. Lame presented the Nigerian Government,s
(GON) efforts to reform the police in order to improve
Nigerian internal security as part of President Yar,Adua,s
Seven Point Agenda. The Ambassador suggested that the U.S.
Mission could assist the GON through our various existing
programs. The Minister (U.S. educated at Ohio University)
agreed to coordinate further, including providing a
representative from the NPF for the Framework for Partnership
Working Groups on law enforcement between the Mission and
Nigerian Law Enforcement to discuss areas of common concern
particularly on our progress on forensic investigation. The
Ambassador emphasized the need for improved cooperation on
the part of the GON if USG assistance is to be fruitful. END
SUMMARY.


Police Reform Agenda
--------------

2. (SBU) On February 10, 2009, the Ambassador made a
courtesy call to the Ministry of Police Affairs (MPA) in
Abuja. USG participants included the Ambassador, INLOff and
RSO (notetaker). MPA participants included Dr. Lame, Minister
of Police Affairs, Mr. Ben Ibe, Director of Police Affairs
and Dr. Kassim Gidabo, Special Assistant. Minister Lame
received his Ph.D from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio in 1980.


3. (SBU) Dr. Lame indicated that the Yar'Adua administration
had convened a Committee on Police Reform. A comprehensive
report was produced but had not yet been issued. He indicated
the report would make recommendations in four to five areas.
First, the need to build the capacity of the Nigeria Police
Force (NPF). Lame envisioned extending the training period
for recruits from six months to a yearwith the Defense
Academy's program to strengthen officer training.


4. (SBU) Lame indicated that police officers' salaries and
benefits, including housing allowances and pensions, needed
to be increased. He noted that NPF is in arrears in assuring
monthly payment of pensions (accumulated total arrears of 37

billion Naira or USD 250 million) and of salaries
(accumulated total arrears of 12 billion Naira or USD 81
million). He added that his Ministry was collaborating with
some Nigerian states, local governments and businesses to
improve logistics, transportation and allowances for
officers.


5. (SBU) The third area was to improve the public image of
the NPF and the self-confidence and pride of police officers,
which he admitted were very low.


6. (SBU) The fourth area was to improve the NPF's capacity to
prevent crimes and intercommunal violence by gathering
intelligence and developing sources. He also indicated that
evidence collection and forensic analysis are currently weak.
There are currently only two forensics labs and that he
intended on establishing others. He stated that his focus
will be on increasing resources first, then eventually
expected forensic labs in all six regional zones.


7. (SBU) Dr. Lame noted that all of these reforms will
require massive resources. (Note: the 381,000 Police staff is
three times the size of that of the Army and two times the
size of the Civil Service.End Note). He pointed out that
Nigeria was not close to the UN's recommended ratio of one
police officer for each 400 civilians. He estimated that the
recommendations of the &white paper8 would cost 3 trillion
Naira or USD 20 billion and estimated the current annual
police budget to be 20 billion Naira or USD 135 million for
capital expenses, and a total operating budget of 200 billion
Naira or USD 1.35 billion.

Seven Pilot Cities Crime Prevention and Control Strategy
--------------

8. (SBU) In line with the priorities of the Nigerian Federal
Government, Dr. Lame indicated that seven pilot cities
namely FCT-Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Onitsha, Kano
and Maiduguri have been identified for special crime
prevention and control strategy. The strategy plan is to
reduce the incidence of crime by at least 50% within one year
by focusing additional resources to ensure the delivery of
efficient and effective police services in these pilot areas.
The items requested include vehicles, arms and ammunition,
sea boats and equipment, dogs and horses, explosive ordinance
disposal equipment, surveillance equipment, communication
network. New units such as anti-terrorist units, rapid
deployment units and community policing units will be

ABUJA 00000309 002 OF 002


deployed . A criminal database and internet access at all
police stations in the pilot areas would also be developed.
Dr. Lame also indicated that the efforts to reduce crime will
include the use of community policing methods and public
private partnerships with businesses and informal policing
units consisting of citizens. The total cost is approximately
5 billion Naira or USD 34 million. If the pilot is
successful, then the strategy will gradually be deployed
nationwide.

US Assistance to the Nigerian Police Force
--------------

9. (SBU) The Ambassador underscored that the U.S. is ready to
support the Nigerian Police Force through the Mission,s
various programs to include: recent US AID TIP workshops; the
Mission,s Law Enforcement Working Groups; training
opportunities at the International Law Enforcement Academies
in Botswana and Roswell; and the Department,s Anti-Terrorism
Assistance programs. The Ambassador informed Dr. Lame that
our past efforts to build institutional capacity had not
always been fruitful as the GON did not always respond to
training offers in a timely manner which had resulted in
training funds being redirected to other countries and
projects. The Ambassador requested a point of contact be
established to improve the cooperation between the U.S.
Mission and the MPA and received a commitment from the
Minister to send his representative to the Framework for
Partnership Working Groups and to respond with information
concerning Human Rights issues.
10.(C)Comment: The new Minister is a US educated academic who
appears properly armed with the requisite educational
background to tackle fundamental problems relating to NPF
finances and efforts to train and develop competent
personnel. He served briefly as a Senator in 1992 and was the
People's Democratic Party's pioneer Deputy National Secretary
before serving as the Senior Special Assistant to former
President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999. Because he does not have
any professional experience with the NPF, he faces a
monumental task as there will be significant resistance to
institutional change in the notoriously corrupt police and he
will likely have difficulties receiving needed funding for
his initiatives. However, if he succeeds in reforming the
police, internal security would be significantly improved in
Nigeria.
(U) This cable was coordinated with Consulate Lagos
SANDERS