Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06LAGOS627
2006-05-10 17:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Lagos
Cable title:
AMCIT KILLED IN NIGER DELTA
how-toVZCZCXRO0265 PP RUEHPA DE RUEHOS #0627 1301723 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 101723Z MAY 06 FM AMCONSUL LAGOS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7111 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0638 RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 0478 RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK PRIORITY RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEPGDA/USEUCOM JIC VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUEHUJA/USDAO ABUJA NI PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS LAGOS 000627
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS DOE FOR DAS JBRODMAN AND CGAY
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS
STATE FOR S/CT MTHOMPSON AND JWEBSTER
STATE FOR AF/EX, DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/MSG, DS/IP/OPO, DS/IP/FPO,
DS/ICI/PII, DS/ICI/CR, DS/DSS, DS/IP/ITA, DS/OSAC, CA/EX,
CA/OCS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC EPET PGOV ASEC NI
SUBJECT: AMCIT KILLED IN NIGER DELTA
UNCLAS LAGOS 000627
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS DOE FOR DAS JBRODMAN AND CGAY
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS
STATE FOR S/CT MTHOMPSON AND JWEBSTER
STATE FOR AF/EX, DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/MSG, DS/IP/OPO, DS/IP/FPO,
DS/ICI/PII, DS/ICI/CR, DS/DSS, DS/IP/ITA, DS/OSAC, CA/EX,
CA/OCS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC EPET PGOV ASEC NI
SUBJECT: AMCIT KILLED IN NIGER DELTA
1. (SBU) AmCit Ricky Wiginton (DPOB 4/15/55, TX,
PPT#207509935 issued December 4, 2002) was shot and killed in
Port Harcourt at 7:30 a.m. while driving to work today.
Wiginton was employed as Operational Manager for Fluids by
oil services company Baker Hughes. He had only recently been
posted to Nigeria.
2. (SBU) Post's American Citizen Services officer has been
in touch with Baker Hughes regarding the death. A company
representative has already contacted Wiginton's wife as next
of kin (NOK, Georgia Wiginton, 286 PR 346, Itasca, TX 76055).
The company is working with medical transport company SOS to
repatriate the body to Texas. A certificate of death will be
issued once Nigerian authorities produce a legal death
certificate, and this process may be delayed because of the
criminal invesigation of the death. Personal effects are
being collected by the employer and will be sent to the NOK.
3. (SBU) Baker Hughes sources said an armed passenger on a
motorcycle taxi with the gunman riding the pillion approached
Wiginton's vehicle from behind. Wiginton was seated in the
front passenger seat of his vehicle. The gunman fired one
shot, fatally wounding Wiginton, before speeding away. There
was no attempt by the assailant to stop the Wiginton vehicle,
but the motorcyle might have followed the car for some time
after the lone shot was fired. The driver went directly to
the Baker Hughes headquarters, and Wiginton died on the
journey to the hospital.
4. (SBU) Both company and labor sources indicate there have
been serious disputes between disgruntled workers and
management within Wiginton's division of Baker Hughes since
March. One labor source claimed a Baker Hughes driver had
been fatally shot as a result of disputes in March. However,
it is too early and facts are too sketchy to identify the
reason for the murder.
5. (SBU) Nigerian police and security officials are
investigating the crime and Post Legatt will travel to Port
Harcourt tomorrow to liaise with the investigators.
BROWNE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE PASS DOE FOR DAS JBRODMAN AND CGAY
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS
STATE FOR S/CT MTHOMPSON AND JWEBSTER
STATE FOR AF/EX, DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/MSG, DS/IP/OPO, DS/IP/FPO,
DS/ICI/PII, DS/ICI/CR, DS/DSS, DS/IP/ITA, DS/OSAC, CA/EX,
CA/OCS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CASC EPET PGOV ASEC NI
SUBJECT: AMCIT KILLED IN NIGER DELTA
1. (SBU) AmCit Ricky Wiginton (DPOB 4/15/55, TX,
PPT#207509935 issued December 4, 2002) was shot and killed in
Port Harcourt at 7:30 a.m. while driving to work today.
Wiginton was employed as Operational Manager for Fluids by
oil services company Baker Hughes. He had only recently been
posted to Nigeria.
2. (SBU) Post's American Citizen Services officer has been
in touch with Baker Hughes regarding the death. A company
representative has already contacted Wiginton's wife as next
of kin (NOK, Georgia Wiginton, 286 PR 346, Itasca, TX 76055).
The company is working with medical transport company SOS to
repatriate the body to Texas. A certificate of death will be
issued once Nigerian authorities produce a legal death
certificate, and this process may be delayed because of the
criminal invesigation of the death. Personal effects are
being collected by the employer and will be sent to the NOK.
3. (SBU) Baker Hughes sources said an armed passenger on a
motorcycle taxi with the gunman riding the pillion approached
Wiginton's vehicle from behind. Wiginton was seated in the
front passenger seat of his vehicle. The gunman fired one
shot, fatally wounding Wiginton, before speeding away. There
was no attempt by the assailant to stop the Wiginton vehicle,
but the motorcyle might have followed the car for some time
after the lone shot was fired. The driver went directly to
the Baker Hughes headquarters, and Wiginton died on the
journey to the hospital.
4. (SBU) Both company and labor sources indicate there have
been serious disputes between disgruntled workers and
management within Wiginton's division of Baker Hughes since
March. One labor source claimed a Baker Hughes driver had
been fatally shot as a result of disputes in March. However,
it is too early and facts are too sketchy to identify the
reason for the murder.
5. (SBU) Nigerian police and security officials are
investigating the crime and Post Legatt will travel to Port
Harcourt tomorrow to liaise with the investigators.
BROWNE