US embassy cable - 05LAGOS1691

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 001691 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/W 
STATE FOR INR/AA 
STATE FOR INL 
DEA FOR OI, OEE, OSE, OC 
POST FOR DEA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, SNAR, NI 
SUBJECT: DRUG CHIEF SEETHES OVER PRESIDENTIAL MEETING 
 
REF: ABUJA 02020 
 
Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for Reason 1.4 (B & D) 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (S) In an October 21 meeting with the Consul General, Dr. 
Bello Lafiaji, head of the National Drug Law Enforcement 
Agency (NDLEA), appeared tired, shaken and agitated with 
regard to the recent meeting between President Obasanjo, 
Ambassador Campbell, and the British High Commissioner about 
Nigeria's counter narcotics effectiveness.  The 
self-important Lafiaji sees our meeting with the President as 
a personal affront and a threat to his job, particularly 
given the coincidence of our meeting with an unflattering 
story about his agency in a local magazine.  At this 
juncture, Lafiaji appears more focused on taking steps to 
safeguard his continued employment than in improving 
bilateral counter narcotics cooperation.  End summary. 
 
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CHAIRMAN SHAKEN BY AMBASSADOR'S 
MEETING WITH PRESIDENT OBASANJO 
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2.  (S)  Dr. Bello Lafiaji, Chairman of the NDLEA, was 
visibly shaken and agitated when he greeted the Consul 
General on October 21 at NDLEA headquarters in Lagos.  This 
meeting came at Lafiaji's behest and followed President 
Obasanjo's meeting with the Ambassador and British High 
Commissioner (reftel).  Lafiaji had some reason to look 
travel-worn and worried.  President Obasanjo had abruptly 
summoned him to return home from Saudi Arabia to discuss the 
counter narcotics portfolio, but that meeting was cancelled 
because of the death of the President's wife and the Bellview 
Airlines plane crash over the weekend.  Apparently, Lafiaji 
was briefed on the Ambassador's meeting with President 
Obasanjo by Presidential Chief of Staff Abdullahi Mohammed. 
The COS is a Lafiaji ally. 
 
3.  (S) Lafiaji described this as "the lowest point in my 
career," and said his reputation and that of the NDLEA had 
been damaged because the Ambassador and High Commissioner 
raised concerns with the President over Nigeria's counter 
narcotics performance.  Lafiaji feared his removal and the 
dissolution of the NDLEA as a possible outcome of the 
President's scrutiny.  As the meeting progressed he regained 
his composure somewhat, stating that if he was to be given 
the boot, he could leave with a clear conscience, having 
given his best effort. 
 
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A CLEAR WAY FORWARD - BUT A ROAD NOT TAKEN 
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4.  (S) Consul General responded that the lack of progress in 
counter narcotics was a major concern in Washington.  More 
specifically, Nigeria needed to target "leaders of drug 
organizations" and to do more to arrest major illicit 
shipments within Nigeria.  The Consul General told Lafiaji 
that, instead of harboring feelings of resentment, he would 
do better for himself and his agency if he focused on a way 
forward through enhanced cooperation with our DEA shop. 
Consul General asserted the best course of action was for the 
NDLEA and DEA to devise a detailed action plan including 
specific tasks, timelines, and responsibilities, and to 
revitalize the Joint Task Force, giving it the express 
mandate to track down leaders of drug organizations.  Lafiaji 
responded that coordination had been "excellent" so he was 
mystified by the sudden problem.  The CG responded that 
cooperation could not have been optimal if the NDLEA and DEA 
could not agree on the definition of major trafficker.  For 
the NDLEA, a courier transporting a larger than average 
payload was a major trafficker.  To DEA, the term had a more 
restrictive meaning - it was reserved for the architects and 
financiers of a drug network and not for couriers.  In the 
end, Lafiaji assented to his joining with the DEA to devise a 
detailed action plan, but continued to lament the damage in 
relations between the agencies, and questioned whether 
progress was now possible. 
 
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RETALIATION? 
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5.  (S) We have found out that the British Drug Liaison 
Officer (DLO) met Lafiaji prior to the CG but his session was 
acrimonious.  In that meeting, the Chairman was similarly 
agitated and distressed over the British High Commissioner's 
action.  But Lafiaji went further.  According to DLO King, 
Lafiaji suggested he might end coordination with the British 
against narcotics trafficking and allow illegal drugs to 
proceed unhindered into the UK. 
 
6.  (S) At Chairman Lafiaji's direction, NDLEA International 
Affairs Coordinator Vincent Ossai met DEA Attache on October 
25 to defend Lafiaji's record (septel).  Since the meeting 
with the CG, there has been no communication from NDLEA 
requesting a meeting to begin the process of formulating the 
detailed action plan. 
 
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COMMENT 
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7.  (S) Chairman Lafiaji has taken the recent meetings as a 
personal attack rather than official notice of concern over 
Nigeria's counter narcotics performance.  He appears more 
concerned about maintaining his image than he is about the 
reality of lack of recent major victories in the drug war. 
End comment. 
BROWNE