US embassy cable - 03ABUJA1394

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Identifier:	03ABUJA1394
Wikileaks:	View 03ABUJA1394 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Abuja
Created:	2003-08-15 12:21:00
Classification:	CONFIDENTIAL
Tags:	ASEC PGOV MOPS NI
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABUJA 001394 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/15/2015 
TAGS: ASEC, PGOV, MOPS, NI 
SUBJECT: MILITARY/POLICE CONFRONTATION IN ABUJA 
 
 
1. (U) Classified by Charge d'Affaires a.i. Rick Roberts for 
reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
 
2. (SBU) In the early evening August 14 Air Force and Air 
Force and police personnel had a brief shootout in the 
Asokoro district of Abuja.  Military and police sources tell 
us plainclothes Air Force security personnel were stopped by 
a police officer running a traffic light.  An argument ensued 
and the heated words soon become fists.  Our sources disagree 
on whether the rest of the action occurred at that site or 
moved to the Asokoro police headquarters a short distance 
away, but either way soon additional Air Force and police 
personnel arrived to assist their comrades.  The police used 
tear gas and there was a brief exchange of gunfire.  Abuja 
Police Commissioner Lawrence Alobe and a senior Nigerian Air 
Force officer arrived and ended the melee.  Despite the 
gunfire, there have been no reports of deaths or serious 
injury.  No AMCITS were involved. 
 
 
3. (C) Comment:  Low-level violence between police and 
military is fairly common in Nigeria, and the incident did 
not even make it into the local media. 
ROBERTS