DHS DEPUTY SECRETARY LUTE MEETS WITH NIGERIAN AVIATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 07 ABUJA 000067

SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/FO, AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL, INR/AA
STATE PLEASE PASS TO DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FOR DEPUTY SECRETARY (LUTE),ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR POLICY (HEYMAN),AND OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PASS TO AMEMBASSY MALABO

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2020/01/21
TAGS: PREL PTER EAIR OVIP PGOV PINR NI
SUBJECT: DHS DEPUTY SECRETARY LUTE MEETS WITH NIGERIAN AVIATION
SECURITY AND COUNTER-TERRORISM POLICY MAKERS

REF: 10 ABUJA 38; 10 ABUJA 39

CLASSIFIED BY: Ball, Perry, Economic Counselor, State, Economic
Section; REASON: 1.4(B),(D)

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SUMMARY

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1. (C) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Deputy

Secretary Lute met with senior-level Nigerian policy makers

on January 12 to underscore the need for global cooperation

to strengthen international civil aviation security and

counter-terrorism measures. Deputy Secretary Lute met with

the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Director General of the

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Minister of

Aviation, the Secretary General of the Federation, the Vice

President (see septel),and the National Security Advisor,

and outlined four areas for improvement: information

sharing; technological application; reinforcement of

weaknesses within the existing security system; and

creation of mechanisms that would enable governments to

share information in emergency situations. Deputy

Secretary Lute stressed the need for partnership on

aviation security and said the current counter-terrorism

threats are a global problems, not just a U.S. issue, and

proposed a regional, ministerial-level meeting be convened

to address these issues. All GON officials expressed their

shock and deep sadness over the failed Christmas Day

bombing attempt. The National Security Advisor told Deputy

Secretary Lute the deployment of U.S. Federal Air Marshals

on flights between the U.S. and Nigeria had not yet

received final approval from his office, as there is "no

legal structure" in place to guide the undertaking. The

overall tone of all the meetings was positive, with

interest in working with the U.S. on aviation security

issues. High on most of the officials' minds was their

concern over the recent listing of Nigeria as a

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) "country of

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interest." END SUMMARY.



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FOREIGN MINISTER: "STUPID YOUNG MAN" MARS NATIONAL IMAGE

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2. (C) Nigerian Foreign Minister Ojo Maduekwe expressed his

deep concern that Nigeria's listing as a "country of

interest" will mar the image of the nation during the

lead-up to Nigeria's 50-year anniversary later this year.

He implored Deputy Secretary Lute to reconsider the

categorization of Nigeria, which he blamed on the actions

of one "stupid young man." Maduekwe recalled former

Secretary of State Christian Herter's recognition of the

Federation of Nigeria in October 1960 as the commencement

of U.S-Nigeria relations. Bilateral relations have

improved and changed since that moment, said Maduekwe, and

preservation of this relationship is of the utmost

importance to the GON. He added that both the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Aviation are in accord

with the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

covering the deployment of U.S. Federal Air Marshals.

Deputy Secretary Lute assured the Foreign Minister that

Nigeria has no better friend than the United States and

welcomed closer collaboration on aviation security.

Maduekwe was pleased to hear this and pledged to work

closely with the U.S. on counter-terrorism issues.



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DG OF CIVIL AVIATION: ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE TABLE

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3. (C) Deputy Secretary Lute separately discussed aviation

security with Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA)

Director General Harold Demuren. Demuren, a graduate of

the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT),expressed

sadness over the events of December 25 and said he viewed

this meeting as an opportunity to effect changes for the

good of all people. The attempted bombing was especially

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devastating, given all the effort and resources the GON had

invested in bringing Nigerian civil aviation safety

standards up to par with the U.S. Federal Aviation

Administration's International Aviation Flight Safety

Assessment for Category 1 Certification. He assured Deputy

Secretary Lute that aviation security remained of paramount

concern to the GON and that all options for preventing

future terrorist attacks are "on the table."




4. (C) Demuren provided Deputy Secretary Lute a package of

documents containing additional information on Umar Farouk

Abdulmutallab's activities leading up to the attempted

bombing. The information came from an internal

investigation from Abdulmutallab's purchase of the ticket

in Accra to the time he checked himself into the seat

numbers for both legs of the flight to the United States.

He concluded his overview by asserting that Nigerian

airport officials could not have detected the explosive

device on Abdulmutallab's person with the existing security

capability. Deputy Secretary Lute told Demuren she would

deliver the information to those in charge of the ongoing

investigation. Demuren also passed to the U.S. Mission

team a package for the Federal Bureau of Investigation

(FBI).




5. (C) Demuren reassured Deputy Secretary Lute that

Nigerian airport security measures have became stricter

than ever and that the GON had already procured additional

screening equipment. On screening, all passengers must

undergo a physical "pat down" and examination of all

personal items accessible during the flight. He added that

no gels or liquids are allowed unless carried in

transparent bags. Catering carts and fuel also receive

scrutiny. Any passenger who refuses to undergo screening

will be prohibited from boarding. Additionally, Demuren

told Deputy Secretary Lute that the GON has allocated

funding for the purchase of three-dimensional body-scanning

machines. He noted, however, the need for additional

training on the use of the machines. Finally, Demuren told

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the delegation he planned to create a separate and

dedicated screening bay for all international flights bound

for the United States.




6. (C) Deputy Secretary Lute proposed the convening of a

region-wide, ministerial level meeting to spur consultation

in the following areas:



-- Aviation Security: Importance of recognizing aviation

security as a global problem and that we want to work with

our friends and partners on the issue.



-- Information gathering and sharing: Many nations are

doing a good job of gathering information, but there is

room for improvement. She cited the lack of common

standards for passenger name record (PNR) data as an

example.



-- Technological application: DHS will leverage other USG

departments to accelerate development of new technology.

She stressed the importance of end-user capacity. DHS will

evaluate the use of currently-deployed technology to ensure

the U.S. is using it to its full potential and look at ways

of strengthening the human interface.



-- Reinforcement of existing weaknesses through resource

allocation: DHS will address identified shortcomings by

targeting more resources to less capable parts of the

security system.



-- International cooperation: DHS recognizes the need to

improve international consultation and collaboration and is

seeking to identify mechanisms to further cooperation.



D/S Lute reiterated these points in all subsequent

meetings.



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MINISTER OF AVIATION AND SGF: APPROVAL OF AIR MARSHALS MOU

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7. (C) Minister of Aviation Babatunde Omotoba highlighted

the long-standing relationship between Nigeria and the

United States, and expressed hope that the outcome of the

visit would reinforce existing ties. He remarked that all

perpetrators involved in the attempted bombing on December

25 should be found and brought to justice. He assured the

Deputy Secretary Lute that the air space in Nigeria is

safe, citing Transportation Security Administration's 2009

findings that the Abuja and Lagos airports are in

compliance with international standards. He pledged that

"we will do whatever needs to be done to win the war on

terrorism."




8. (C) Omotoba provided Deputy Secretary Lute with details

about projected security enhancements and expressed a need

for security training and scanning equipment. In addition

to the changes in screening procedure, Omotoba said he

anticipated delivery of two three-dimensional body scanners

next week. He noted that GON investment in car scanners,

which would be used at the airport entrance and parking

lot, represented an additional measure the GON could use in

the future. He admitted that additional training for

airport operators is needed, and that the GON would welcome

any USG-recommended training. Omotoba said that, "within

his ministry," all outstanding concerns delaying the Air

Marshals Agreement have "been resolved."




9. (C) Secretary to the Government of the Federation Alhaji

Yayale Ahmed joined the last few minutes of the meeting to

further underscore GON willingness to cooperate with the

USG. He said all Nigerians share a common respect for life

and a determination to fight terrorism. Secretary Ahmed

told Deputy Secretary Lute that the GON is committed to

working with the USG to identify and pursue those who

threaten the safety of innocent civilians. He said

security cannot be compromised. Deputy Secretary Lute

closed the meeting by reaffirming the USG's commitment to

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working with the GON to improve coordination, information

sharing, capacity building, and communication among all

stakeholders. She welcomed honest dialogue.



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NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: NO LEGAL STRUCTURE FOR U.S. AIR

MARSHALS

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10. (C) Nigerian National Security Advisor Major General

(Ret.) Abdullahi Sarki Mukhtar agreed that nations should

work together to address terrorism as it has become a

cross-cutting problem for all members of the global

community. The terrorist attack on September 11 was not

merely a wake-up call for the United States but all members

of the global community, said Mukhtar. No one is safe, and

the reach of terrorism is unrestricted. He said the

sophistication of terrorism is taxing on the intelligence

community. Thus, all concerned parties must work together

to address the issue. He added that he is more concerned

with the infiltration of outsiders, mostly from the

Maghreb, than with the perceived threat that native

Nigerian Muslims will somehow radicalize in Nigeria. (NOTE:

At the request of the Deputy Secretary Lute, the Ambassador

and the Regional Affairs Office (RAO) Chief provided a

next-step action the for GON security services regarding

12/25 issues on the margins of the meeting. See Septel. END

NOTE.)




11. (C) Asked about the status of the U.S. Federal Air

Marshals MOU, Mukhtar said the GON lacks the necessary

"legal structure" to support the agreement. He committed to

working with the Mission to address outstanding legal

framework concerns that must be resolved before the MOU

could be signed.



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COMMENT

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12. (C) The Vice President, the Secretary of the Government

of the Federation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the

Minister of Aviation, and the Director General of the

Nigerian Aviation Authority all expressed a strong interest

in working closely with the U.S. to improve aviation

security. Only the National Security Advisor seemed

reluctant to move forward with the signing of the U.S.

Federal Air Marshals MOU. The Vice President's ability to

push the promised cooperation forward in the aftermath of

the Christmas Day attempted bombing will be an early test

of his political authority.




13. (U) Deputy Secretary Lute departed Abuja before having the
opportunity to clear on this telegram.
SANDERS