US embassy cable - 03ABUJA561

UNCLAS ABUJA 000561 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/IP/FPO, AF/W, AF/EX 
LAGOS FOR RSO 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, ALOW, NI 
SUBJECT: ATTEMPTED ARMED ROBBERY AT RESIDENTIAL HOUSING 
COMPOUND - ABUJA 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: During the early morning hours of 22 March 
2003, armed robbers penetrated the perimeter of a three-unit 
Mission residential housing compound. LGF mobile patrol units 
conducting routine compound patrols thwarted the attempted 
robbery. There were no injuries and only slight property 
damage reported. End Summary 
 
 
2.  (SBU) Details: At approximately 0230 hours on Saturday, 
March 22, 2003, two individuals with long weapons were 
observed by LGF personnel lurking within the grounds of a 
three-unit Mission housing complex. LGF personnel, including a 
residential guard and mobile patrol supervisor, immediately 
summoned assistance from host country police assigned to the 
mobile patrol vehicle. Upon hearing the radio calls for 
assistance, the two armed individuals fled the compound 
through a hole they had cut in the razor wire along top the 
rear perimeter wall. This wall is contiguous to a vacant 
residential construction site. 
 
 
3.  (SBU) Local police and LGF mobile patrol personnel 
conducted a security sweep of the grounds for additional 
assailants with negative results. However, they did discover a 
heavy-duty pry bar that the robbers dropped while fleeing and 
shoe marks on the interior side of the perimeter wall. 
 
 
4.  (SBU) The following morning, GSO personnel repaired the 
damaged razor wire and replaced all non-functioning security 
lights. RSO inspected the damage and determined that the razor 
wire had been cleanly cut (likely using wire cutters) and that 
the robbers had started a small fire on the attack side of the 
wall for additional light. 
 
 
5.  (SBU) Mobile patrol coverage of the area has been 
increased and the Residential Security Coordinator (RSC) will 
be supervising additional security upgrades at the location 
over the next few days. 
 
 
6.  (SBU) The local police have been notified of the incident. 
 
 
JETER