US embassy cable - 05LAGOS1642

UNCLAS LAGOS 001642 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DS/IP/AF, AF/EX, DS/IP/OPO, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/ITA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, PTER, CASC, NI 
SUBJECT: LAGOS EAC MEETING ON INCREASED CRIME IN LAGOS AND 
SECURITY IN THE NIGER-DELTA 10/17/05 
 
1.  (U)  Lagos EAC convened October 17 to review Post's 
security posture in response to what appears to be a marked 
increase in violent crime in Lagos, and to discuss 
appropriate precautions against such crime. NOTE: In the past 
few months armed bank robberies, prison riots, attacks on 
expatriates, and smash and grab car robberies have been 
reported on Victoria and Ikoyi island. A recent clash between 
police and army soldiers in a working class section of Lagos 
left several persons dead, others injured and resulted in 
significant property damage. The Niger-Delta region remains 
tense in light of the arrest of a prominent governor in 
London for money laundering, and the arrest of a local 
militant leader for treason.  Ikoyi and Victoria islands are 
home to the American International School, the US Consulate 
General, and all US Consulate employees. In attendance were 
the CG, RSO, RAO, MGT, POL/ECON, DAO, DEA, FCS, MED, and FBI. 
 
2.  (SBU) Based on a consensus of the EAC, POST will 
implement the following: 
 
-RSO will limit visits to the Niger-Delta (Delta, Bayelsa, 
Rivers) region by Consulate Employees to 2-3 days. Visits to 
the area should be limited to important official business 
only and only for the minimum time needed to transact that 
business 
 
-RSO will require travelers to use armed REACT escort when 
driving to the outlying Lagos suburb of Lekki after dark 
where many expatriates have been robbed. 
 
-RSO will conduct a briefing of Consulate USDH employees on 
security precautions in Lagos for private drivers and USDH 
Consulate personnel. 
 
-RSO will fine-tune guard force officers at residential 
compounds to positively identify visitors before opening 
gates. 
 
-Section heads will encourage full participation in weekly 
radio checks. 
 
-Draft a collective letter from various Embassies/Consulates 
to the Nigerian Government/Assistant Inspector General 
requesting increased police presence in our areas. 
 
-Explore the possibility of a centralized emergency response 
command center (possibly using the Local guard) for 
residential alarms. 
 
-Section heads will insure that all TDY visitors be scheduled 
for a security brief upon arrival in Lagos. 
 
4. (U) RSO COMMENT: The recent spike in crime is attributed 
to the beginning of the holiday season as well as to a 
sluggish local economy characterized by high unemployment and 
growing food and fuel prices. 
 
6. (U)  The core EAC agreed that post's security posture was 
adequate pending new information and agreed to meet again as 
circumstances dictate. 
 
7. (U)  The point of contact in this matter is RSO/acting Rod 
Collins at (office) 234-1-261-1303. 
 
 
 
BROWNE