SITREP 16: SSS OPENS NEW LINE OF COMMUNICATION

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000124 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC WARSAW FOR LISA PIASCIK CIUDAD JUAREZ FOR DONNA BLAIR ISTANBUL FOR TASHAWNA SMITH SAO PAULO FOR ANDREW WITHERSPOON DOE FOR GPERSON, CGAY TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS, SRENENDER, DFIELDS COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR FLISER STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN AND MSTUCKART STATE PASS TDA FOR NCABOT STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2017 TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM NI PGOV PREL SUBJECT: SITREP 16: SSS OPENS NEW LINE OF COMMUNICATION REF: LAGOS 116 Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4 (B) and ( D) ¶1. (C) Pivot-GIS employees American Bill Graham and Nigerian Ezekiel Akwa remain hostages. John Walker of Control Risks Group told the February 15 Pivot-GIS Hostage Crisis Group he met the Director of Rivers State Security Service (SSS), Alhaji Kola Adeshina, on February 14. Adeshina informed Walker that he opened another line of communication with a local Ijaw elder who was once involved in hostage-taking. The elder is respected by militant leader Prince Igodu, who is purportedly behind this kidnapping. Adeshina said this elder will meet Prince Igodu in hopes of persuading him to release the hostages quickly and only for the modest payment that will probably be termed a facilitator fee or cost. According to Walker, the elder assured SSS the hostages are fine; Walker passed SSS proof of life questions on February 14 to confirm this. ¶2. (C) Walker said Phillipa Graham is calm and has backed off her threat to approach the media--for now. On February 14, she confided to Walker that following her husband's abduction she had contacted Golden, a youth leader in the Minikpiti village where Pivot-GIS is located. Golden purportedly confirmed Prince Igodu had engineered the kidnapping. Golden said he could secure the hostages' release for naira 2 million (approximately USD 15,625). Mrs. Graham did not accept this offer. Walker told the Hostage Crisis Group he heard Golden previously had a falling out with Bill Graham regarding a naira 2.5 million demand he presented Graham allegedly on behalf of the community. Graham refused to pay the sum. ¶3. (C) Comment: It appears the SSS has stepped up its efforts to secure Graham's release. Using the local elder as an alternate line of communication is an example of this effort. It will take a few days to determine if this new avenue will bear fruit. End Comment. BROWNE