Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ABUJA90
2009-01-16 12:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abuja
Cable title:  

ABUJA RESPONSE - ANNUAL CRIME EVALUATION

Tags:  ASEC KCRM KSAC NI 
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R 161227Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5045
UNCLAS ABUJA 000090 


DEPT FOR DS/ITA, DS/IP/AF, DS/FPO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC KCRM KSAC NI
SUBJECT: ABUJA RESPONSE - ANNUAL CRIME EVALUATION
QUESTIONNAIRE

REF: 08 STATE 168473
08 STATE 132056

UNCLAS ABUJA 000090


DEPT FOR DS/ITA, DS/IP/AF, DS/FPO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC KCRM KSAC NI
SUBJECT: ABUJA RESPONSE - ANNUAL CRIME EVALUATION
QUESTIONNAIRE

REF: 08 STATE 168473
08 STATE 132056


1. Post's responses are keyed to reftel.

Crime Mobility: Criminal elements generally roam freely at
night, and are known to target EmbOff and affluent
residential areas for burglary.

RSO Comment - Abuja has experienced daytime robberies at popular
restaurants and shopping areas in downtown Abuja where expats are
known to congregate, but more often the crime occurs during hours
of darkness. Because of the relative ease in which criminals operate
during the hours of darkness, particularly outside the Ring Road,
the U.S. Embassy has restricted road travel outside Abuja city proper.


2. Crime Ambience (Around EMBOFF Neighborhoods): -
Surrounded by low crime buffer zones, which are perceived as
safe during the day, but are unsafe at night because of
street crime.

RSO Comment - No area in Abuja can be considered immune or
free from criminal elements and criminal incidences can occur
at any hour. For instance, vehicle thefts are prevalent throughout
the country and occur at all hours. Additionally, thefts of personal
property are reported on all modes of public transport and Abuja
routinely experiences residential break-ins during the day.
Use of public transportation is not recommended by Embassy staff.


3. Aggressiveness of Criminals: - Do not avoid, and may seek
violent confrontation with occupants during burglaries, and
are not deterred by police response to alarm or emergency
phone call.

RSO Comment - Given that it is common knowledge that the police
lack the resources and manpower to respond, even alarm
activations are not always effective as a deterrent to criminals.


4. Arming of Criminals: - Criminal perpetrators are usually
carrying firearms (handguns or shoulder weapons).

RSO Comment - Criminal perpetrators usually at a minimum,
will be armed with knives, but just as often they are
carrying firearms, normally AK-47s or hand guns.


5. Aggression of Criminals: - Operate in groups of greater
than four individuals, are disposed frequently to be
confrontational and gratuitously violent, and prone to use
deadly force on victims.

RSO Comment - Individuals that fail to respond, resist, or
are perceived to resist commands from criminals are likely
to receive an immediate and violent response. For instance in 2007
an American staff member was beaten with a rifle because he was
perceived to not be cooperating fully with a street robbery.


6. DETERRENCE/RESPONSE OF POLICE: - Local police or
neighborhood associations are totally ineffective in
deterring or disrupting burglaries and other crimes in EMBOFF
neighborhoods, and seldom are able to apprehend or arrest
suspects after the fact.

RSO Comment - Often police vehicles do not have fuel and
seldom respond in a timely manner, if at all. Embassy
provided vehicles are often required to facilitate police
response. In accordance with Nigerian laws, only the police
are authorized weapons, therefore local security companies
cannot deter serious criminals.


7. Training/professionalism of Police: - Police are somewhat
unprofessional and ill trained; they are demonstratively
apathetic to alarms and investigation of incidents in Emboffs
neighborhoods; they have serious resource/manpower
limitations that inhibit their deterrence or response
effectiveness.

RSO Comment - The upper echelons of police force are
responsive to our security and investigative requests but
their directives often do not effectively flow down to the
rank and file. The Nigerian National Police Force has
historically been under funded and as a result initiated a
fund raising campaign to assist in buying needed force
equipment. Morale in the police force is low because of low
pay and a payroll system that operates very inefficiently.
The police use their frequent check points more often to
harass and receive funds rather than deter crime. As a
result of these factors and the economic condition of the
country, corruption and lack of professionalism will remain
an issue for the Nigerian police force for the foreseeable
future.

PIASCIK