US embassy cable - 05ABUJA2020

S E C R E T ABUJA 002020 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  DECL: 10/20/15 
TAGS: SNAR, PREL, PGOV, NI, NARCOTICS 
SUBJECT:  NIGERIA:  PRESIDENT OBASANJO ON NARCOTICS 
 
Classified by:  Ambassador John Campbell for Reasons 1.5 
(b), (d) 
 
REFS:  A) Abuja 1956, B) Lagos 1427 
 
1.  (S) Summary:  President Obasanjo wants immediate action 
taken on Nigeria's flagging performance in narcotics 
interdiction and is acutely aware of the consequences 
should Nigeria fail recertification.  He has recalled Dr. 
Bello Lafiaji, Chairman of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement 
Agency (NDLEA) from Mecca, where he is keeping Small Salah 
(Little Hajj), to energize his agency.  End summary. 
 
2.  (S) The British High Commissioner and I met with 
President Obasanjo on October 20 at the latter's request to 
follow up on our previous joint meeting with the Attorney 
General on Nigeria's apparently flagging performance in 
narcotics interdiction, and my own separate meetings with 
Dr. Bello Lafiaji and Steve Oronsaye, Principal Secretary 
to the President, on the same subject.  Also present at our 
meeting was Maj. Gen. Abudullahi Mohammmed (ret), the 
President's Chief of Staff.  The President had invited the 
British High Commissioner, the German Ambassador and me to 
join an Iftar (daily breaking of the Ramadan fast) that he 
hosted the previous evening for the Muslim members of the 
diplomatic corps.  On the margins of that event he had 
asked the High Commissioner and I to see him urgently on 
the apparently failing performance of the NDLEA. 
 
3.  (S) I opened the meeting by referring to the increased 
quantities of narcotics, especially heroin, entering the 
U.S. via Nigeria or through Nigerian hands.  I also noted 
that no drug kingpins have been arrested in Nigeria since 
2001, nor have there been any narcotics seizures of 50 
kilos or more since that year.  I expressed concern that 
the Joint Task Force, a coordinating mechanism between DEA 
and the NDLEA appeared moribund.  The High Commissioner 
described an ongoing case in the UK of a Nigerian accused 
of narcotics smuggling who, apparently, benefited from 
evidence tampered with by agents of the NDLEA. 
 
4.  (S) The President expressed his disappointment.  He 
said that he viewed improved narcotics interdiction in the 
same terms as suppression of trafficking in persons or the 
struggle against corruption by the Economic and Financial 
Crimes Commission: all are central and essential elements 
of his presidency.  He cut off Gen. Abudullahi Mohammed, 
who appeared to be starting to make excuses for NDLEA.  He 
told Gen. Mohammed to have Dr. Bello Lafiaji return 
immediately from Mecca, where he is keeping the Small Salah 
(Little Hajj), to re-energize his agency.  He also directed 
Mohammed to ensure the revitalization of the Joint Task 
Force. 
 
5.  (S) Comment:  The British High Commissioner and I have 
touched a Presidential nerve.  And, the President is fully 
aware of the consequences should Nigeria fail the narcotics 
recertification process.  It remains to be seen, however, 
whether the Presidential directives will be translated into 
action. 
CAMPBELL