US embassy cable - 05LAGOS1768

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 001768 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEA FOR OC, OI, OID, OEE, OSE, OIE 
SECSTATE FOR INL/LP,AF/W 
POST FOR RD AND ARD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2010 
TAGS: PGOV, PINR, SNAR, NI 
SUBJECT: MEETING WITH NDLEA CHAIRMAN BELLO LAFIAJI 
 
REF: ABUJA 02168 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: DEA ATTACHE SAM GAYE FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
1. (S) Summary: During an often tense November 15 meeting 
with DEA Attache and the Consul General, Nigerian National 
Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Chairman Bello Lafiaji 
continued to express his bitterness over the Ambassador and 
the British High Commissioner's meeting with President 
obasanjo regarding Nigeria's counter narcotics performance. 
Lafiaji boasted that at the November 9 meeting in Abuja 
(reftel), President Obasanjo voiced strong support for him 
and the NDLEA performance but stressed there must be greater 
cooperation between the Nigerian agency and its American and 
British counterparts. Consequently, Bello promised counter 
narcotics cooperation and provided DEA with a draft standard 
operating procedures (SOP) for review. End Summary. 
 
2. (S) Joined by several of his agency's departmental 
directors, Lafiaji began the November 15 meeting, giving his 
interpretation of the November 9 meeting convened by 
President Obasanjo which Charge and the British High 
Commissioner attended (reftel). Bello rendition differed 
significantly from our own. The NDLEA head boasted that in 
defending this agency with bevy of facts and figures, he 
received compliments from President Obsanjo. In fact, 
Obasanjo expressed full confidence in Bello. Conversely, the 
President chided the British for complaining about a lack of 
NDLEA responsiveness while the British failed to share 
information with the NDLEA about Nigerian drug arrests in the 
UK. (Comment: The last time we talked to Bello, he felt his 
job was threatened and that he could get the axe at any 
moment. He now feels that his position is secure. He now has 
a bigger chip on his shoulder than what was there before. End 
comment). 
 
3. (S) Bello did say the President called for improved 
cooperation and communications between NDLEA, DEA and the 
Brits. November 15 meeting was called for two purposes, Bello 
asserted. First, he wanted to "clear the air", i.e. complain 
about what he called the false information we provided 
President Obasanjo about his agency's shortcomings. Second, 
because he felt "betrayed" he wanted to establish a SOP for 
NDLEA-DEA interaction (a copy of said draft SOP has been 
faxed to DEA HQs). 
 
4. (S) Returning to his first point, Bello accused DEA 
Attache for providing inaccurate information to the 
Ambassador and that the joint letter from the Ambassador and 
the British High Commissioner to the Nigerian Attorney 
General was intended to have him fired. At this point, the 
Consul General interrupted Bello stating that the letter was 
sent because of deep concerns over drug trafficking. To 
impute an ulterior motive was a wrong and unfortunate 
distraction that could divert attention away from the most 
important point..tackling drug traffickers and their illicit 
consignments. The CG also stressed that personal attack on 
the DEA Attache was unfair and should cease immediately.  The 
CG repeated the points he had made in previous meetings with 
Bello the need to reconstitute the Joint Task Force, target 
and dismantle major trafficking organizations as well as make 
large seizures of heroin and cocaine entering or transiting 
Nigeria to the United States. The CG stressed that time was 
of the essence and that progress needed to be made quickly on 
these points. He said Nigeria would soon face drug 
certification and that the NDLEA should move decisively in 
these areas so that Nigeria is not found wanting. Bello 
responded that he called the meeting to vent out his 
frustrations and now was prepared to move forward on counter 
narcotics cooperation. 
 
5. (S) Bello then presented DEA with a draft standard 
operating procedures (SOP) for review and discussion in two 
days. The SOP does not contain anything new. The Consul 
General advised Bello that a formal SOP is uncommon but that 
the DEA Attache would review the same and furnish comments. 
The Consul General further advised Bello that this 'form" of 
developing an SOP for the relationship between the NDLEA and 
DEA should not take precedent over the substantive mandate of 
combating the drug trade. 
 
6. (S) Comment: Whether false bravado or reality, Bello has 
convinced himself that he and his record of performance have 
been vindicated and that he looks good in the eyes of the 
President. Feeling that his job is secure, he now poses these 
SOP. In principle, there is nothing odious about them and we 
will not let this become a point of contention or allow it to 
be used as a pretext to delay our push to revive the Joint 
Task Force and go after major traffickers. Notwithstanding 
Bello's counterproductive gamesmanship, we will continue to 
offer our assistance in diligently pursuing our major counter 
narcotics objectives. End comment 
BROWNE