SITREP 19: EIGHT AMCITS HOSTAGE MAY 25 IN THREE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000389 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 OSLO FOR HELENA SCHRADER 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: 05/25/2017 TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM NI PGOV PREL SUBJECT: SITREP 19: EIGHT AMCITS HOSTAGE MAY 25 IN THREE INCIDENTS REF: A. LAGOS 376 ¶B. LAGOS 307 ¶C. LAGOS 336 LAGOS 00000389 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Consul Alan B. C. Latimer for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Summary: On May 25, nine expatriates, including American citizens Bobbie Tyner, Shane McMorris, and Richard Moore employed by TransCoastal, were abducted from three vessels in the riverine area near Sangana, Bayelsa State. May 25 was the twenty-fifth day of captivity for Chevron employees American citizen John Stapleton, four Italians, and one Croatian. Global Industries was told its four American employees being held captive in Delta State received on May 24 a welfare package containing malarial prophylaxes and medications for Amcits Kevin Faller and Michael Rousell. End Summary. -------------- TransCoastal/Bayelsa: 3 Amcits, 6 Other Nationalities Abducted -------------- ¶2. (C) At approximately 7:00 AM on May 25, three American citizens (Bobbie Tyner, Shane McMorris, and Richard Moore), four British nationals, one Filipino, one South African and one Nigerian, were kidnapped from the riverine area near Sangana, Bayelsa State. Scott Gregory, the President of TransCoastal, confirmed the identity of the three Americans. ¶3. (C) The three American hostages and one Nigerian were kidnapped from TransCoastal's SP300 barge, the other six hostages were abducted from Hydrodive's vessel, though some of these expatriates were employed by the British Company HolyHead. All of these companies were servicing the OML59 platform and oil block, which is operated by Nigerian-owned Continental Oil. Company representatives report the vessels were attacked by two to five small boats carrying approximately 15 militants, who shot at the vessels before kidnapping the ten individuals. ¶4. (C) Gregory said the company is working with the Akassa Local Government Area and has received information the militants were seen headed north along Bayelsa's shore towards Kulama. Gregory suggested Joshua McGuyver's camp may have been responsible for this attack as this area falls under the militant leader's territory. However, Chevron sources indicated a heretofore unknown group called the "Young Shall Grow Boys," who hail from Azubuama, a village south of Sangana, may have been responsible. -------------- - Bayelsa/Chevron: 5 Expatriates Remain Hostages -------------- - LAGOS 00000389 002.2 OF 002 ¶5. (C) Chevron employees American citizen John Stapleton, four Italians, and one Croatian begin their twenty-fifth day as hostages. Chevron is compiling a welfare package containing hydrocortisone and ibuprofen for a May 27 delivery. Dr. Godknows Igali, Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, planned to meet Chevron on May 25. Chevron reported Governor Goodluck Jonathan would likely return to Bayelsa before the May 29 inauguration. ¶6. (SBU) Jomo Gbomo, purported spokesman for the Movement of the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND),issued a statement on May 25 reiterating Chevron's six employees would be released May 30 (Ref B). -------------- Delta/GI: Amcits Remain Hostages; Welfare Package Received -------------- ¶7. (C) Four American Global Industries (GI) employees, Kevin Faller, Christopher Gay, Michael Rousell and Larry Plake, kidnapped May 8, off the shore of Delta State, remain hostages. On May 24, GI found out Larry Plake takes Vicodyn for a back injury/surgery. (Note: On May 10, Mrs. Plake told ACS unit chief her husband did not take medication (Ref C). End Note.) Plake reportedly said his back was hurting but GI could not say when this conversation occurred. All four hostages said they were bitten by insects. ¶8. (C) The kidnappers had stopped calling the hostages' families but continued to call company representatives in Nigeria and Houston. GI has had "less and less" contact with the Delta State Secretary and SSS, but was notified the hostages received the welfare package containing malarial prophylaxes and medications for Faller and Rousell. A second package containing one week's supply of Faller's medication and all Rousell's medication has been prepared. GI has arranged hotel accommodations near the Lagos airport from May 28-30 in anticipation of the hostages' release. ¶9. (C) A Nigerian national employee of GI remaining in Warri will be able to assist the company with negotiations and logistics on the ground. The company reported multiple offers of assistance in resolving this case "for a fee" and has refused them all. BROWNE