US embassy cable - 01ABUJA2224

UNCLAS ABUJA 002224 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR INL/AAE--PRAHAR AND FLOOD AND FOR AF/W-BOOTH 
DOJ FOR OIA-JASON CARTER 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM, SNAR, PGOV, NI 
SUBJECT: PLANNING A USG-GON EXTRADITION EXCHANGE 
 
 
This is an action message:  Action request for INL/AAE in 
para 5. 
 
 
1. Several discussions with Nigeria's Attorney General and 
his staff over the past three months have produced agreement 
on the terms of an extradition exchange or consultations to 
be funded by INL and implemented by DOJ's Office of 
Prosecutorial Development and Training (OPDAT) program. 
 
 
2. The consultations by visiting DOJ/OPDAT prosecutors, will 
involve 10-15 Nigerian public prosecutors and up to five high 
court judges in a frank and open discussion of the US and 
Nigerian processes in handling extradition requests.  The 
main goal of this activity is to identify obstacles to 
effecient extraditions in Nigerian law and procedures and 
either correct these or find ways to mitigate them.  Also 
attending will be a few special advisors to the Attorney 
General and, Mission hopes, the recently retired director of 
Public Prosecutions, Mrs. Malouku, who has extensive 
experience in handling past USG extradition requests.  The 
Attorney General's office agrees with our desired priority in 
selecting public prosecutors who have prior experience in 
extradition cases. 
 
 
3. The Attorney General has explicitly pledged to form a 
prosecutorial extradition unit from the pool of public 
prosecutors participating in this exchange.   This unit would 
consist of four or five prosecutors dedicated to handling 
extradition cases.  Once a new Chief Judge is named to head 
the Federal High Court, the Attorney General will seek his 
cooperation in designating one High Court judge to handle 
extradition cases exclusively. 
 
 
4. Post has proposed, and the Attorney General's office 
endorses, a mid-October timeframe for the four or five day 
exchange in Abuja.  Post's RNLEO would assist OPDAT with the 
selection of a suitable site for these consultations as well 
as all necessary logistical arrangements.  The AG's office 
has not asked for any per diem for participating MOJ 
prosecutors or High Court judges, though we anticipate 
funding per diem for Mrs. Malouku and a few participating 
prosecutors who work in High Court venues outside of Abuja 
(e.g. Lagos and Kaduna). 
 
 
5. Action Request for INL/AAE:  Please coordinate a formal 
response with DOJ's Office of International Affairs (POC: 
Jason Carter, 616-3073) indicating OPDAT and DOJ prosecutors' 
availability to travel to Abuja for a week in mid-October. 
This activity will draw on existing and unused FY2000 INL 
funds ($75,000) already obligated to OPDAT for extradition 
training. 
Andrews