SITREP 18: HOSTAGES RELEASED; 3 EXPATS KIDNAPPED,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000136 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC ZAGREB FOR AMBASSADOR BRADTKE 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: 02/22/2017 TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM NI PGOV PREL SUBJECT: SITREP 18: HOSTAGES RELEASED; 3 EXPATS KIDNAPPED, INCREASED MILITARY PRESENCE IN NIGER DELTA REF: A. LAGOS 128 ¶B. LAGOS 124 LAGOS 00000136 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4 (B) and ( D) -------------- -- Amcit and Nigerian Pivot-GIS Employees Released -------------- -- ¶1. (C) Pivot employees American citizen Bill Graham and Nigerian national Ezekiel Akwa were released from captivity on February 17. Once State Security Service (SSS) had established some leverage in their communications with the kidnappers and once Rivers State Governor Peter Odili lent the matter full attention, the hostage release occurred quickly and with ease, according to John Walker of Control Risks Group (CRG),Pivot's security consultant. Both Graham and Akwa, held for 25 days, contracted malaria and were receiving treatment in Port Harcourt. Graham was debriefed by Walker on February 18, Akwa the day after. Graham does not plan to leave Nigeria until his malaria treatment has been completed, and then his exit might only be temporary. Walker reported Graham could return to Nigeria--though he was considering moving his family to Lagos. Fellow hostage British citizen Neil Mirrlees, who was released prior to Graham, was also reconsidering a return to Nigeria, according to Walker. ¶2. (C) During their last 10 days in captivity, Graham and Akwa were given little to drink or eat, they said. In a conversation with the Director of Rivers State Security Service (SSS),Walker learned the kidnappers told SSS they had been surveilling Mirrlees and Graham for 5 days before the kidnapping occurred. To speed the release, the SSS reportedly resorted to disinformation to unnerve the kidnappers. They told Prince Igodo, the leader of the kidnappers, President Obasanjo was going to allow U.S. military intervention in the Niger Delta. The kidnappers purportedly believed this. Walker thought it unlikely SSS asked an Ijaw elder to open an additional line of communication. (Ref B) Rather, Walker posited that SSS told Pivot this to assuage them while SSS limited communication with the kidnappers to "make Prince Igodo sweat." -------------- Three Expatriates Kidnapped In Port Harcourt -------------- ¶3. (C) The Consulate Regional Security Officer (RSO) confirmed reports that two Croatian and one Montenegrin expatriates working for Hydrodrive International, an offshore oil service company, were abducted by armed gunmen February ¶18. They were reportedly abducted near the Pivot-GIS boat jetty in Iwofe, a district of Port Harcourt, while at a bar. During a February 20 Niger Delta Working Group meeting, Shell and ExxonMobil told RSO these workers were not under contract; Chevron was attempting to confirm whether it has a contract with them. LAGOS 00000136 002.2 OF 002 ¶4. (C) A representative of Hydrodrive told a British Deputy High Commission Representative the kidnappers were demanding naira 1 billion (approximately USD 7,812,500) for the three hostages. The same group that kidnapped Graham likely perpetuated this latest episode. Walker said CRG was finalizing an agreement with Hydrodrive and that a CRG colleague was expected to arrive shortly to manage this recent incident. -------------- -------------- Increased Militant & Military Presence in Port Harcourt -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) On February 19, RSO received unconfirmed reports indicating a band of armed youths from Bayelsa State had entered Port Harcourt, Rivers State. According to the report, the youths were paid to eliminate Rivers State PDP gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Celestine Omehia. ¶6. (C) We also received confirmed reports on February 19 that the Nigerian military has deployed extra troops to Port Harcourt, especially near the old town, in "Operation Flush," aimed at countering militant activity. Port Harcourt locals reported a significant increase of troops in town. A Port Harcourt local contact, Chief Daniel Ebahor of the Niger Delta Peace Foundation, called the Consulate to report an increase in gunfire in the area which he attributed to "the military rounding up" armed youths and militants. ¶7. (C) A security contact said five armed militants were arrested on February 19 by State Security Service (SSS) in Port Harcourt. The group was purportedly attempting to kidnap expatriates. ¶8. (C) RSO received a confirmed report of an explosion at the Amadi-Ama traffic circle in Port Harcourt on February 18. No further details are available. ¶9. (C) On February 20 RSO received reports of an explosion at the University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, around 10:00 AM. No casualties were reported. BROWNE