Sunday, 26 May 2013
How The Kidnap Of Umaru Dikko From London Was Foiled In 1984-BBC World Service
Umaru Dikko
By Alex Last
In London in 1984, a team of Nigerians and Israelis attempted to kidnap and repatriate the exiled former Nigerian minister Umaru Dikko. Mr Dikko, who had fled Nigeria after a military coup, was accused of stealing $1bn (£625m) of government money.
The plot was foiled by a young British customs officer, Charles David Morrow, who has now told the BBC World Service Witness programme what happened.
On a summer's day, Mr Dikko walked out of his front door in an upmarket neighbourhood of Bayswater in London. Within seconds he had been grabbed by two men and bundled into the back of a transit van.
"I remember the very violent way in which I was grabbed and hurled into a van, with a huge fellow sitting on my head - and the way in which they immediately put on me handcuffs and chains on my legs," he told the BBC a year later.
Mr Dikko had been minister for transport in the government of Shehu Shagari until it was overthrown by the military at the end of 1983. He fled to London accused by Nigeria's new rulers of embezzlement - a charge he has always denied.
Labelled "Nigeria's most wanted man", a plot was hatched to get both him and the money back.
The extraordinary plan was to kidnap Mr Dikko, drug him, stick him into a specially made crate and put him on a plane back to Nigeria - alive.
Israeli anesthetist
An Israeli alleged former Mossad agent, Alexander Barak, was recruited to lead the kidnap team. It included a Nigerian intelligence officer, Maj Mohammed Yusufu, and Israeli nationals Felix Abitbol and Dr Lev-Arie Shapiro, who was to inject Mr Dikko with an anesthetic.
Umaru Dikko always denied embezzling $1bn
The kidnappers switched vehicles in a car park by London Zoo and headed towards Stansted airport where a Nigerian Airways plane was waiting. They injected Mr Dikko and laid him, unconscious, in a crate.
The Israeli anesthetist climbed into the crate as well, carrying medical equipment to make sure Mr Dikko didn't die en route. Barak and Abitbol got into a second crate. Both boxes were then sealed.
At the cargo terminal of Stansted Airport, 40 miles (64km) north of London, a Nigerian diplomat was anxiously waiting for the crates to arrive. Also on duty that day was a young customs officer, Charles David Morrow.
Diplomatic bag
"The day had gone fairly normally until about 3pm. Then we had the handling agents come through and say that there was a cargo due to go on a Nigerian Airways 707, but the people delivering it didn't want it manifested," Mr Morrow said.
"I went downstairs to see who they were and what was happening. I met a guy who turned out to be a Nigerian diplomat called Mr Edet. He showed me his passport and he said it was diplomatic cargo. Being ignorant of such matters, I asked him what it was, and he told me it was just documents and things."
A missing persons bulletin alerted customs officials to the kidnapping
No-one on duty at Stansted had dealt with a diplomatic bag before and Mr Morrow went to check the procedure.
Just then a colleague returned from the passenger terminal with some startling news. There was an All Ports Bulletin from Scotland Yard saying that a Nigerian had been kidnapped and it was suspected he would be smuggled out of the country.
The police had been alerted by Mr Dikko's secretary who had witnessed his abduction from a window in the house.
Hearing the news, Mr Morrow realised he had a problem on his hands.
"I just put two and two together. The classic customs approach is not to look for the goods, you look for the space," he said.
"So I am looking out of the window and I can see the space which is these two crates, clearly big enough to get a man inside. We've got a Nigerian Airways 707, which we don't normally see. They don't want the crates manifested, so there would be no record of them having gone through. And there was very little other cargo going on board the aircraft.
"If you want to hide a tree, you hide it in the forest. You don't stick it out in the middle of Essex."
By the book
But any cargo designated as a diplomatic bag is protected by the Vienna Convention from being opened by customs officers. So Mr Morrow got on the phone to the British Foreign Office.
"To qualify as a 'diplomatic bag' they clearly had to be marked with the words 'Diplomatic Bag' and they had to be accompanied by an accredited courier with the appropriate documentation. It was fair to say they had a Nigerian diplomat - I'd seen his passport - but they didn't have the right paperwork and they weren't marked 'Diplomatic Bag'," he said.
The decision was taken that the crates could be opened - but it would be done by the book. That required the presence of a Nigerian diplomat, but as Mr Morrow pointed out, one was already on hand. By now, the crates were up on special trolleys ready to be loaded on to the plane.
"Peter, the cargo manager, hit the lid on the bottom and lifted it. And as he lifted it, the Nigerian diplomat, who was standing next to me, took off like a startled rabbit across the tarmac," Mr Morrow said.
"You have to remember we are on an airfield which is square miles of nothing. He ran about five yards (4.5m), realised no-one was chasing him and then stopped.
"Peter looked into the crate and said: 'There's bodies inside!'
He parked a forklift truck so its tines lay across the top of the crate so it couldn't be opened. Mr Morrow dialled the emergency number 999.
"My name's Morrow, from Customs at Stansted. We've got some bodies in a crate. Do you think you can send someone over," he recalls saying.
"They said: 'Alive or Dead?'
"I said: 'That's a very good point. I don't know.'
"They said: 'We'll send an ambulance as well.'"
After half an hour, police started to arrive, and they opened the second crate. Inside they found an unconscious Mr Dikko, and a very much awake Israeli anaesthetist. Mr Dikko was lying on his back in the corner of the crate.
"He had no shirt on, he had a heart monitor on him, and he had a tube in his throat to keep his airway open. No shoes and socks and handcuffs around his ankles. The Israeli anaesthetist was in there, clearly to keep him alive," recalls Mr Morrow.
The kidnappers in the other crate were unrepentant. They said Mr Dikko was the biggest crook in the world.
The Nigerian intelligence officer and the three Israelis all received prison sentences in the UK.
Diplomatic relations between the UK and Nigeria broke down and were only fully restored two years later. The Nigerian and Israeli governments have always denied involvement in the kidnapping.
Mr Dikko returned to Nigeria the following decade and still lives there.
Mr Morrow was commended for actions that day by the head of UK Customs, who described the incident as a "very tricky situation".
Alex Last's report was broadcast on the BBC World Service's Witness programme.
YOU CAN READ MORE AND DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST OF THE FULL REPORT HERE
Comments
18 comment(s)
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buhari
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 13, 2012 - 12:15.
in response to your comment about buhari, i see you lack alot of understanding in crises management. i will say , you neither knew what was on ground in those days, nor want to be practical in judging the politics of nigeria, so you know, im standing at a neutral point, and im both yoruba and a christian. but in my most gracious understanding, buhari government is the only military era in nigeria, where the leaders used the migth of military to sanitize the nation without any recorded corruption. sometimes i just forget what exactly nigerians are asking for?
mind your language mr Nonses!! buhari will be president by 2015
Submitted by kurfi (not verified) on November 13, 2012 - 07:40.
Don't ever abused our dear leader mr, nonses! Which party is boko haram? Go and find out again general buhari is man of trust. Am a sure you insha allah by 2015 he wil be come the next president of nigeria, idiot we know dat ur pdp agent. Mtsw
Umaru Dikko the Biggest Corrupt Man
Submitted by Nasiru Habu Kiri (not verified) on November 13, 2012 - 06:12.
If british govt then had cooperated with Buhari led military govt in bringing Umaru Dikko home to face full wrath of the law, corruption iin Nigeria would have been a of the past.
With the benefits of Hindsight
Submitted by alli pedro (not verified) on November 13, 2012 - 04:42.
With 20/20 hindsight, we all wished Umaru Dikko's repatriation back to Nigeria was successful. Atleast Nigeria would have recovered some of its loot, and it would have sent a message that legislooters are not save anywhere, no matter where they run.
Now our legislooters dont even bother to abscond, rather they flaunt their stolen wealth in our faces long after they have left office.
One Country's Hero another Country's Villain
Submitted by Udelhi Domiye (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 23:33.
One man's food is another man's poison. He just succeeded in preventing a crook from facing justice. Only Idiagbon could have helped them to mastermind this kind of feat and not Buhari, unfortunately they didn't engage people in international relations who would have ensured they had the right diplomatic documents
buhari will never dare show his face inn saner climes
Submitted by Deri (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 21:49.
Buhari will never smell places like ajegunle not to talk of becoming a leaders of a political party in any part of the world, if he had been a member of the civilized world. But being somebody from (Ingwa doki) he has no qualms being celebrated here by agents of his boko haramic party. He did not only attempt to crate Dikko-because the man was busy challenging his lies in London, buhari tried to kill late chief Tai Solarin, Pa Ajasin and Babatope whom he dumped in his gulag-when asked to tell the nation when he would hand -over to a civilian government, he told the world that he has thrown the key to the ideals that democracy stands for into the Atlantic ocean. Now the same man wants to enjoy the fruits of the democracy that Tai Solarin fought for-animals
Abacha Still got the money back!
Submitted by Sani (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 19:36.
What Mr Morrow will never know is that Gen Sani Abacha was more tactful, he lured Mr Dikko with Contracts that never existed and made him Wax out Millions..($) for jobs that never materialized hhahahahaha. A wise leader always gets his man
BUHARI THEN WAS A CLEAN MAN BUT TUNDE IDIAGBON WAS A CROOK
Submitted by Pastor Commander Samyoung Onwuzulike (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 16:16.
Although I dont want to talk about god of Nigeria then Alhaji Umaru Dikko but time may spear me to give history to our youths. During Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon's regime Gen Buhari was a honest man but Tunde Idiagbon was playing game. He directed all Oil for Sugar Exchange Deal with Brazil to his country man Ade Doyin from Kwara State. It's the reason Lord Christ brought down their government.Alhaji Umaru Dikko deserved any insult they made on him because he opened door of corruption in highest level in Nigeria. We never hear of looting of Billion only from Umaru Dikko's Rice deal all came. If they had suceeded to brought him back to Nigeria he would have give account of missing Ship loads of Rice in the high sea. What Oil subsidy thieves did now began from days of Umaru Dikko.Umaru asked Nigerians when they were complaining, have you see a Nigerian eating from trash bins?
Blind and dumb Talk
Submitted by Abuyakub (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 15:50.
Bigot ask your elders what Buhari did to Umaru Dikko even when he was not a president, because you may be small or still in your village and you did not have access to news.
DIKKO SHOULD BE REGRETTING TODAY
Submitted by Fasua (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 14:10.
Dikko should be regretting that he stole only $1b after seeing Lawan Farouk with $660,000 in his cap debating furiously on the floor of the House in favour of Otedola who ripped this country of thrillions of dollars through the oil subsidy scam. Meanwhile Otedola is a member of GEJ economic team. Dikko must be screaming kai!kai!!kai!!!give me another chance to serve you better walahi. You dey laugh? We all dey wait for our turn including SR.Nigeria sweet o.
Umaru Dikko Barawo!
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 13:51.
Mr Morrow, yes, you done the right thing in the British standard but you allow rogue, criminal and people that destroyed steady progress of Nigeria at that time to live when he should be behind bar for ever.
You have done more harms to us than help.
A voice of concerned citizen of Nigeria
MR. MORROW DID NOT SEE TOMORROW
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 13:42.
Mr. Morrow did a good job for his country. But if he had seen Nigeria of today he would have allowed that operation to succeed to serve as deterrent to the large number of fraudsters ravaging the country.Mr. Morrow you can see that $1bn is just money that can be hidden in a cap while negotiations are on thrillions of dollars stolen through oil subsidy scams.I believe by now Mr. Morrow should be weeping for Nigeria. Our consolation lies in the fact that Britain will support that action today but there is no Boeing 707 to carry out such operations unfortunately.Everything gone with corruption!I weep for Nigeria!!
Nigerian Airways 707: Corruption Can Kill, literally speaking
Submitted by OmonBendel (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 13:40.
I tell you, corruption is a MUTHAFUCKER!
We don't have a national airliners no more, corruption got us in a CHOKEHOLD. . .
God send us good leaders like Nuhu Ribadu to the national scene
Big Deal !!
Submitted by Curious1 (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 13:36.
Big deal !!
Even if they had succeeded in bringing Dikko to Lagos, tribalism would have handcuffed/prevented Mr "squeaky clean" Buhari from doing anything to Dikko. Just look at his tribalistic handling of those politicians who didn't run !!
Those islamic rag head emirs who see everything from islamic and tribal solidarity would have put enormous pressure on Buhari to spare Dikko. It doesn't matter to them the atrocities committed !! These guys pressured Obasanjo endlessly to release Mustapha and Mohammed Abacha !!
No other traditional rulers had the clout these ragheads have. Their kingmaker status has ended for sure -that's what made Buhari weep in the last election.
AND WHERE IS THE MONEY?
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 13:27.
Dikko is in Nigeria still a stunch member of PDP. Living large with his ill-gotten wealth. Looting more. Starting from our first oil minister Maitama Sule, Gowon, Obasanjo who created the NNPC to take over 60% of our oil revenue from the foreign companies and embezzle, to Shagari, Buhari (former Chairman of NNPC in the N2.8b scandal)Babangida, Abacha, Abubakar, and Obasanjo (again)you will agree with me that the South South is a conquered and occupied territory till date. Danjuma, Dantata and Sowoe,Wushishi, Babangida are the major Nigerian oil magnates ravaging Rivers and Bayelsa states.My brother this is their dividend from the "civil war" which they forced the East into in order to take over their resources and the most prosperous economy in the then third world.
Ok
Submitted by Bunmi (not verified) on November 12, 2012 - 13:04.
Hilltop house,with view of the ocean
3bedrooms,fully furnished Capecoast in ghana @ a give away,For more details contact me on 07030173837 or if you need pictures of the property.
"We've got a Nigerian Airways 707"
Submitted by Fe.muwe. on November 12, 2012 - 12:58.
yes those were the days, my friend! the flying elephant!
