MILITIA GROUP'S CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000036 SIPDIS STATE PASS DOE FOR DAS JBRODMAN AND CGAY DS/IP/AF, AF/EX, DS/IP/OPO, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/ITA, DS/OSAC TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS AND SRENENDER COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN AND MSTUCKART STATE PASS TDA FOR NCABOT STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR SLISER STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/20/2015 TAGS: EPET PGOV ASEC PTER KHLS PINR NI SUBJECT: MILITIA GROUP'S CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR BAYELSA KIDNAPPINGS STILL UNCONFIRMED REF: LAGOS 27 Classified By: Acting Consul General William Howe for Reasons 1.4 (D & E) -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Shell reports negotiations began for the return of the 4 hostages taken in the January 11 kidnapping reported reftel with a group that the Nigerian State Security Service (SSS) has identified as responsible. The group is reportedly from the small village of Keremo, near the Chevron Escravos plant in Delta State. According to SPDC, the SSS Bayelsa State will initiate talks with the group. No demands are yet reported, and Shell accepted an offer from LegAtt for FBI logistical and negotiating assistance. An SPDC Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel remains in lockdown, potentially halting production of 120,000 barrels per day (BPD). End Summary. -------------- String of Attacks Concerns Shell -------------- ¶2. (C) Shell Production Engineer and Company Duty Officer during the reftel kidnapping said, hours before the security ship was boarded, a Shell pipeline section near Warri was blown up. He also said the kidnappers, differently from past hostage situations, were heavily armed with grenades and rocket launchers. In addition, according to the company's Community Liaison Officer (CLO),the group was "rogue," i.e., unaffiliated with any of the community groups with whom Shell will negotiate. He said Shell was consequently concerned that attacks were being organized by a previously unknown but well-equipped group. ¶3. (C) Mihlon indicated that Shell would be taking the lead in investigation and negotiation, but he accepted an offer from LegAtt to provide assistance with negotiations and logistics. Shell set up a Command Center in Lagos and was expecting assistance from the Nigerian Navy. He did not expect any long term impact on oil production. -------------- - Previously Unknown Group Claims Responsibility -------------- - ¶4. (C) A letter was circulated through an Oil and Oil Service Company security e-mail list with a claim to responsibility for the attack. The group claiming responsibility identified itself as Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and listed the full names of the four individuals taken. The authenticity of the letter has not been established. ¶5. (SBU) Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police said the group responsible is demanding money but did not disclose an exact amount. He also said the hostages had been taken to Warri. One of the hostages reportedly sustained a headwound during the kidnapping. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶6. (C) The Delta region continues to heat up in the new year, and oil companies expect more incidents in the coming weeks. The slow response of the navy and the ease with which the kidnappers boarded an oil company security vessel further demonstrate how poorly prepared the GON is for an increase in instability in the region. End Comment. BROWNE HOWE