Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LAGOS595
2006-05-03 19:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Lagos
Cable title:
EXXONMOBIL TERMINAL ATTACKED; TWO YOUTHS KILLED
how-toVZCZCXRO3154 PP RUEHPA DE RUEHOS #0595/01 1231926 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 031926Z MAY 06 FM AMCONSUL LAGOS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7068 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY 7218 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000595
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE PASS DOE FOR GPERSON AND CGAY
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: 05/03/2016
TAGS: EPET ENERG ASEC PTER ELAB NI
SUBJECT: EXXONMOBIL TERMINAL ATTACKED; TWO YOUTHS KILLED
REF: A. 2005 LAGOS 1951
B. LAGOS 589
C. LAGOS 476
Classified By: Consul General Brian Browne for Reasons 1.4 (D & E)
Summary
--------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000595
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE PASS DOE FOR GPERSON AND CGAY
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: 05/03/2016
TAGS: EPET ENERG ASEC PTER ELAB NI
SUBJECT: EXXONMOBIL TERMINAL ATTACKED; TWO YOUTHS KILLED
REF: A. 2005 LAGOS 1951
B. LAGOS 589
C. LAGOS 476
Classified By: Consul General Brian Browne for Reasons 1.4 (D & E)
Summary
--------------
1. (SBU) ExxonMobil Nigeria's Qua Iboe Terminal (QIT),Akwa
Ibom State, was occupied by a group of youths armed with
machetes on 2 May, due to a labor dispute. Government
security forces (GSF) killed two youths and wounded two
others. GSF have arrested ten of the youths. The attackers
briefly held two expatriates hostage, but both escaped.
Other EM employees suffered minor injuries. EM is now in
discussions with the community and Akwa Ibom State officials
to resolve the dispute. EM describes the atmosphere as calm
but tense.
Attackers Armed with Machetes Broke into QIT;
Two Youths Killed, Two Injured
--------------
2. (SBU) ExxonMobil security sources state at about 1530 on
May 2, six youths blockaded the main gate to the QIT
terminal. They were soon joined by ten more youths armed
with machetes who forced their way through the gate. Navy
guards at the facility shot and killed two of the intruders
during this initial assault. EM reports mobile police
(mopol) fled, despite being armed with automatic rifles. The
youths still managed to enter the compound and vandalize
equipment, a building, and a heliport, which has now been
rendered non-functional. The attackers briefly held two
expatriates hostage, but both escaped. Approximately one
thousand Nigerian and expatriate EM employees were locked
down on the compound until 2200 hours, while mobile police
re-secured the premises. Employees were evacuated to EM's
Eket residential facility, where most reside. QIT is now
fully secured, and an additional mopol unit has been assigned
to it.
Weekend Barge Occupation Culminates in QIT Invasion
-------------- --------------
3. (SBU) Yesterday's incident was the culmination of
several recent encounters between ExxonMobil, its
contractors, and local youths. On April 29, a group of
youths demanding jobs boarded and occupied for two days EM
contractor Stolt's work barge, at the Edop complex 20 miles
offshore. On May 1, the Nigerian Navy then arrested five or
six of the youths' leaders. In response, other youths
attempted the May 2 occupation of QIT, which they planned to
hold until their leaders were released.
Approximately Fifty Americans Resident in Eket
-------------- -
4. (C) EM reports about 300 expatriates of various
nationalities reside at Eket, QIT's residential facility. EM
did not have an official count of Americans at QIT, but one
security official estimated about fifty Americans reside at
Eket. The Lagos ACS Unit reports 37 registered Amcits reside
at Eket.
Production not Significantly Impacted
--------------
5. (SBU) EM suffered minor production losses over the
weekend during the barge occupation and yesterday's attack.
Production today returned to normal, although QIT is
operating with reduced staff.
Comment
LAGOS 00000595 002 OF 002
--------------
6. (C) Until March, EM had been largely successful at
avoiding negative media and potentially disruptive militant
attention in Nigeria. While EM faces nothing comparable to
deep-rooted hostility confronting Shell in Nigeria, this
latest episode could generate more attention than EM wants.
The genesis of the dispute seems purely local and
unassociated with the militants in the "core" of the Delta
(Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta States). However, everyone in
the Delta is fidgety, and militants may be looking for a
pretext to expand their swath. EM is talking with local
leaders in an attempt to prevent the militants from using the
incident as an opening. We have also talked to an important
Ijaw leader, stressing to him the importance of keeping
violence from proliferating. That said, even if we keep the
professional militants out, EM will still have a difficult
time working with the local youth to resolve this situation.
BROWNE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE PASS DOE FOR GPERSON AND CGAY
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: 05/03/2016
TAGS: EPET ENERG ASEC PTER ELAB NI
SUBJECT: EXXONMOBIL TERMINAL ATTACKED; TWO YOUTHS KILLED
REF: A. 2005 LAGOS 1951
B. LAGOS 589
C. LAGOS 476
Classified By: Consul General Brian Browne for Reasons 1.4 (D & E)
Summary
--------------
1. (SBU) ExxonMobil Nigeria's Qua Iboe Terminal (QIT),Akwa
Ibom State, was occupied by a group of youths armed with
machetes on 2 May, due to a labor dispute. Government
security forces (GSF) killed two youths and wounded two
others. GSF have arrested ten of the youths. The attackers
briefly held two expatriates hostage, but both escaped.
Other EM employees suffered minor injuries. EM is now in
discussions with the community and Akwa Ibom State officials
to resolve the dispute. EM describes the atmosphere as calm
but tense.
Attackers Armed with Machetes Broke into QIT;
Two Youths Killed, Two Injured
--------------
2. (SBU) ExxonMobil security sources state at about 1530 on
May 2, six youths blockaded the main gate to the QIT
terminal. They were soon joined by ten more youths armed
with machetes who forced their way through the gate. Navy
guards at the facility shot and killed two of the intruders
during this initial assault. EM reports mobile police
(mopol) fled, despite being armed with automatic rifles. The
youths still managed to enter the compound and vandalize
equipment, a building, and a heliport, which has now been
rendered non-functional. The attackers briefly held two
expatriates hostage, but both escaped. Approximately one
thousand Nigerian and expatriate EM employees were locked
down on the compound until 2200 hours, while mobile police
re-secured the premises. Employees were evacuated to EM's
Eket residential facility, where most reside. QIT is now
fully secured, and an additional mopol unit has been assigned
to it.
Weekend Barge Occupation Culminates in QIT Invasion
-------------- --------------
3. (SBU) Yesterday's incident was the culmination of
several recent encounters between ExxonMobil, its
contractors, and local youths. On April 29, a group of
youths demanding jobs boarded and occupied for two days EM
contractor Stolt's work barge, at the Edop complex 20 miles
offshore. On May 1, the Nigerian Navy then arrested five or
six of the youths' leaders. In response, other youths
attempted the May 2 occupation of QIT, which they planned to
hold until their leaders were released.
Approximately Fifty Americans Resident in Eket
-------------- -
4. (C) EM reports about 300 expatriates of various
nationalities reside at Eket, QIT's residential facility. EM
did not have an official count of Americans at QIT, but one
security official estimated about fifty Americans reside at
Eket. The Lagos ACS Unit reports 37 registered Amcits reside
at Eket.
Production not Significantly Impacted
--------------
5. (SBU) EM suffered minor production losses over the
weekend during the barge occupation and yesterday's attack.
Production today returned to normal, although QIT is
operating with reduced staff.
Comment
LAGOS 00000595 002 OF 002
--------------
6. (C) Until March, EM had been largely successful at
avoiding negative media and potentially disruptive militant
attention in Nigeria. While EM faces nothing comparable to
deep-rooted hostility confronting Shell in Nigeria, this
latest episode could generate more attention than EM wants.
The genesis of the dispute seems purely local and
unassociated with the militants in the "core" of the Delta
(Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta States). However, everyone in
the Delta is fidgety, and militants may be looking for a
pretext to expand their swath. EM is talking with local
leaders in an attempt to prevent the militants from using the
incident as an opening. We have also talked to an important
Ijaw leader, stressing to him the importance of keeping
violence from proliferating. That said, even if we keep the
professional militants out, EM will still have a difficult
time working with the local youth to resolve this situation.
BROWNE