US embassy cable - 05ABUJA873

S E C R E T ABUJA 000873 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/13/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, KCRM, MARR, PGOV, PINR, KDEM, NI 
SUBJECT: NAVAL CHIEF COMPLICIT IN EXTRAJUDICIAL SHOOTING 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador John Campbell for Reasons 1.4 (B & D). 
 
1.  (U)  Two local newspapers reported on March 22 and 23 
that a 50-year old female civilian, Gloria Ekeh, was shot by 
Chief of Naval Staff Afolayan's security detail.  The 
newspapers reported that Ekeh's car collided with one of the 
Naval Chief's escort vehicles, causing an accidental 
discharge by one of the security personnel.  The papers 
reported that Ekeh was shot in the leg and immediately taken 
to the National Hospital in Abuja by a Naval vehicle.  She 
was reported to be recovering, with all treatment costs borne 
by the Navy. 
 
2.  (S/NF)  This incident occurred in the vicinity of the 
Embassy and was witnessed by a highly-trained and experienced 
TDYer from the Office of Defense Cooperation.  His account 
differs greatly from the public account put forward by Navy 
Headquarters.  The ODC member came upon a motor vehicle 
accident involving at least one GON vehicle on Maitama 
Avenue, across from the headquarters of the State Security 
Service (SSS), on March 18 at approximately 1545Z.  The ODC 
member saw 2-3 individuals in police custody in the rear of a 
security vehicle, and a woman, stooped down in a submissive 
posture, pleading with a uniformed police officer.  The ODC 
member then heard a single gunshot, saw the woman lying in 
the street, and saw a non-uniformed individual returning a 
pistol to a holster concealed under his suit.  The uniformed 
police officers did not react to the shooting in any way 
other than to try to clear the crowd away and to move the 
woman to a car, which was driven away.  The ODC member could 
see that her feet and legs were covered in a "massive amount" 
of blood.  The ODC member was then ordered to leave the area 
by a hostile, non-uniformed individual who threatened to 
"flatten the tires" of the ODC member's vehicle (which had 
diplomatic license plates) if he did not comply. 
 
3.  (S/NF)  Neither Navy Headquarters nor Chief of Naval 
Staff Afolayan has made any public comment disputing the 
events as portrayed in the press.  Post intends to consider 
Afolayan complicit in this extrajudicial shooting, and to bar 
the Chief of Naval Staff from participation in any USG-funded 
security assistance events. 
CAMPBELL