SITREP 8: FIVE AMCITS REMAIN HOSTAGES; MILITANTS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000331 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: 05/09/2017 TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM NI PGOV PREL SUBJECT: SITREP 8: FIVE AMCITS REMAIN HOSTAGES; MILITANTS THREATEN ADDITIONAL ATTACKS REF: A. LAGOS 322 ¶B. LAGOS 313 ¶C. LAGOS 309 LAGOS 00000331 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4 (B) and ( D) ¶1. (C) Summary: Four American citizens abducted from Global Industries' Cheyenne barge on May 8 near Delta State were allowed to call their families the following day, thereby providing proof of life. The kidnappers of the four Americans purportedly demanded all expatriates depart Nigeria, Chevron pay the community whatever it is owed, and the military not intervene. American citizen John Stapleton begins his tenth day as hostage with four Italians and one Croatian. A Chevron employee from a village close to the hostages' location received a call from the purported kidnapper. He threatened to attack ExxonMobil and Chevron pipelines just as Shell and Agip had been attacked (pipeline explosions) on May 3. On May 8, eight Filipinos and three South Koreans abducted from a Daewoo plant in Rivers State were released. End Summary. -------------- -------------- Delta/Global Industries: Amcits Call Families; Demands Made -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) Four American citizens, Christopher Gay, Michael James Rousell, Kevin Joseph Faller and Larry Allen Plake, remain hostages after being abducted off the shore of Delta State near Escravos on May 8. Global Industries (GI),whose Cheyenne vessel was under contract with Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) when it was attacked, met with CNL and security consultants. GI reported each of the four American hostages had called their families in the U.S. on May 9, thereby giving proof of life. ¶3. (C) The kidnappers have demanded all expatriates depart Nigeria, that Chevron pay the community whatever it is owed (no community or payment amount was specified in this conversation),and that military action be avoided. ¶4. (C) In response to Chevron's offered assistance, GI requested Chevron ask the government to refrain from a military response and said any advice or intelligence Chevron has to offer would be appreciated. GI also requested help in coordinating a telephone call to Delta State Governor-elect Emmanuel Uduaghan (current Secretary to Delta State Government). ¶5. (C) Global Industries has decided to relocate its Cheyenne and Comanche vessels to Lagos, where it will, at a minimum, rotate in new expatriate and national crewmembers. (Ref A) -------------- -------------- Bayelsa/Chevron: "Kidnapper" Repeats Demands, Threatens LAGOS 00000331 002.2 OF 002 Explosions -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) American citizen John Stapleton, four Italian nationals, and one Croatian remain hostages after being kidnapped May 1. Chevron received a barrage of queries after the hostage photograph was released to the media. There is no confirmation that the welfare packages sent to the camp have been delivered; Chevron plans to send additional medication for Stapleton and magazines to the State Security Service (SSS) for dispatch. Also, electronic copies of family letters and additional clothing will be sent to Chevron's team in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State for forwarding to the SSS at the appropriate time. ¶7. (C) Chevron indicated the Deputy Governor continues to "say the right things," suggesting Chevron still has faith in the Deputy Governor and SSS,s engagement with the kidnappers. However, on May 9, a Chevron employee from Kulama 2, a village purportedly close to where the hostages are being kept, received a Thuraya Satellite telephone call from Victor (Ref B),who said the hostages were kidnapped "not for financial cause but for the government detaining my brother." Victor then threatened to attack ExxonMobil and Chevron much the same way as had been done to Shell and Agip. Victor said he was surprised that Chevron has not been in direct contact with him. He said he was willing to meet Chevron and suggested they bring the "logistics fee" and visit him at the camp to discuss the release of the hostages. -------------- -------------- Rivers: Korean & Filipino Daewoo Hostages Released -------------- -------------- ¶8. (U) Eight Filipinos and three Koreans, who were abducted from Daewoo's Afam Gas Project in Rivers State on May 3, were released on May 8. (Ref C) No further details surrounding their release are known. BROWNE