SITREP 6: AMCIT REMAINS HOSTAGE; 3 PIPELINES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000321

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC,
CA/OCS/ACS/AF FOR MESARITI
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, CAROLYN GAY
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: 05/08/2017
TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM NI PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SITREP 6: AMCIT REMAINS HOSTAGE; 3 PIPELINES
ATTACKED

REF: LAGOS 318

LAGOS 00000321 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4 (B) and (
D)


1. (C) Summary: After being abducted May 1, six expatriates,
including American citizen John Stapleton, four Italians and
one Croatian remain in captivity. Chevron has not received
proof of life for any of the hostages. Chevron planned to
pass a third care package containing food, water, clothes and
antimalarial prophylaxes to the Bayelsa State Government for
the hostages, although the company has received no
confirmation the previous two packages were given to the
hostages. Three pipelines in Bayelsa were purportedly
attacked by militants on May 8; since May 1, Chevron has
reduced production by 57,000 barrels per day. End Summary.

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No Package Delivery or POL; Chevron Meets Obasanjo
-------------- --------------


2. (C) American citizen John Stapleton, four Italian
nationals and one Croatian begin their eighth day in
captivity; little has changed. Chevron was preparing to give
the Bayelsa State Government a third welfare package
containing food, water, clothes, toiletries, a camera,
antimalarial prophylaxes and medication, despite no proof the
two previous packages were delivered. Chevron chose not to
include cell phones in the care packages because there is
reportedly no cell phone coverage at the camp. The framework
for release plan has been drafted but not yet finalized.


3. (C) Fred Nelson, Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria
Limited, met President Obasanjo in Abuja on May 7. Obasanjo
told Nelson there would not be a military action against the
militants and no ransom demands would be paid by the
government. Obasanjo recommended Chevron not pay ransom and
continue to try to resolve the crisis through the Bayelsa
State government.

--------------
Militants Attack 3 Pipelines
--------------


4. (U) "Jomo Gbomo" of the Movement for the Emancipation of
the Niger Delta (MEND) purportedly emailed media sources on
May 8 and claimed responsibility for three attacks on
pipelines in Bayelsa. Media sources report Agip's Brass
terminal was attacked as were two terminals in Akasa.


5. (C) According to Managing Director of Agip, Akin
Aruwajoye, two of Agip's pipelines were attacked on May 8,
decreasing production by 150,000 to 200,000 barrels per day
(bpd).


6. (C) Initial unconfirmed reports state that on May 2
Chevron took 15,000 bpd offline after the six expatriates

LAGOS 00000321 002.2 OF 002


were taken hostage from the floating storage vessel
"Oloibiri" 25 miles off the shore of Bayelsa State. Media
reports Chevron further cut production another 42,000 bpd on
May 7 at the Abiteye flow station, due to disruptive activity
there (no hostages were taken in this incident).
BROWNE