NIGERIA: HOSTAGE-TAKING, SITREP #4

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000252

SIPDIS

STATE PASS DOE FOR DAS JBRODMAN AND CGAY
TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS AND SRENENDER
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS
STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ
STATE FOR DS/IP/AF, AF/EX, DS/IP/OPO, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/ITA
LONDON PASS TO AMBASSADOR CAMPBELL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/19/2016
TAGS: EPET PGOV ASEC PTER KHLS PINR ETRD CASC NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: HOSTAGE-TAKING, SITREP #4

REF: A. LAGOS 251 AND PREVIOUS


B. 2/20/06 EMAIL MURAD - OPCENTER

Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for Reasons 1.4 (D & E)

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Hostage Welfare Update
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1. (C) Nigerian Government officials and NGO officials in
contact with the kidnappers report that, according to the
hostage takers, the hostages are healthy and unharmed. As
with the January hostage crisis, Shell is hosting a daily
meeting that includes Shell, Willbros, British High
Commission and US Consulate staff. Willbros sent medicine
(including insulin for AmCit Macon Hawkins) through a
Nigerian State Security Service contact for delivery to the
hostages on Saturday. Shell and Willbros are sending an
additional supply tonight through an assistant of Delta State
Governor Ibori, who heads the GON negotiating team.


2. (C) Willbros executives met Consulate staff. Willbros
provided a copy of three email messages purportedly posted by
MEND to the www.willbros.com web page directing Willbros to
open dialogue to discuss conditions for the hostages' release
(ref B). Willbros is working with Control Risk Group
consultants and FBI hostage experts in Washington to compose
a response to the messages. Willbros has contacted families
of the American, British and Filipino hostages, and is
working to contact the families of the other hostages.
Willbros will contact Thai, Egyptian, and Philippine
governments and Shell will invite them to participate in the
daily crisis group meetings. The Legatt is attempting to
help Willbros with their request for victim's counseling for
the other employees who were on the barge when the nine were
taken hostage.


3. (C) As expected we are receiving conflicting statements
regarding the kidnapper intentions toward the hostages. MEND
reportedly released a statement claiming the hostages are in
good condition but threatening their execution. However,
Timi Alaibe, Executive Director for Finance and
Administration of the Niger Delta Development Commission
(NDDC),told us he had been in telephone contact with the
kidnappers who said the hostages will not be harmed. The
kidnapping was a reaction to Federal government military
activity against the militants. The militants told Alaibe
the hostages will be held until aggressive military action
has ceased and the Federal government opens negotiations with
the militants about socio-economic conditions in the Delta.


4. (C) NGO activist Judy Asuni reports the hostages are fine
and are being held at Government Ekpemukpolo's headquarters
in Nkerenkoko but have not been given food or water. Anger
over Nigerian military attacks has caused some debate about
the quality of treatment to give the hostages, and provisions
are in short supply, Asuni was told. Asuni has identified
intermediaries who are willing to take food, water, and
medicine to the hostages.


5. (C/NF) Delta Governor Ibori said that he has been in
contact with the kidnappers. He told us the kidnappers said
they would not harm the nine, minatory public statements
notwithstanding. In addition to the medicines sent, Ibori
claimed the kidnappers had access to adequate food supplies.
He said the kidnappers were incensed at Shell and the GON and
had purposely not targeted Chevron. Their grouse with the
GON is two-fold. The immediate proximate complaint is the
attacks the GON launched last week near Nkerenkoko. The
greater complaint is GON protracted indifference to economic
development in the Delta. Their ire was directed at Shell
because it was a British company and they were angry at the
British for what they perceived as the UK's role in the
downfall of former Bayelsa Governor Alamieyeseigha. Ibori
said the militants would need some assurance their grievance
would be aired prior to agreeing to release the hostages. As
part of this process, and after talking to President
Obasanjo, he planned on releasing a press statement about his
contact with the kidnappers, including their demands.

6. (C) A Rivers State government source told us about Delta
contacts who had discussions with the kidnappers. She said
the hostages are being held on a small island called Ikula
between Delta and Bayelsa States and an intermediary will
meet the kidnappers again tonight or tomorrow to attempt to
identify terms of release. (Comment: As we witnessed in
January, there will be multiple lines of communication.
Also, some people will falsely claim to have access but will
not. Thus, we will receive conflicting information from
various sources. However, what we can distill from these
various contacts is that the kidnappers will be even tougher
to deal with than in January. End comment.)

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Energy Update: New MEND Threats to Oil Companies
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7. (C) The Shell Forcados terminal and "Sea Eagle" FPSO
remain closed, and production remains reduced by
approximately 500,000 bpd.


8. (C) An oil service company source told us MEND issued a
new statement threatening to attack offices in the area
within the week unless they are vacated. There are
unconfirmed reports of additional attacks on a Shell pipeline
and a houseboat near Forcados. Shell representatives told us
the January 18 pipeline attacks displayed detailed knowledge
of Shell operations. Shell also said there were new threats
on tankers as well as the FPSO "Sea Eagle."

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Military Activity; Active Patrols
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9. (C) The Nigerian military continues patrolling the area
with boats and aircraft.
BROWNE