SITREP 20: 3 AMCIT LIVES THREATENED; 8 AMCITS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000394 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 20: 3 AMCIT LIVES THREATENED; 8 AMCITS REMAIN HOSTAGE REF: A. LAGOS 389 ¶B. LAGOS 307 LAGOS 00000394 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Consul Alan B. C. Latimer for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) Summary: On May 27, a news source reported the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), "Bayelsa State Chapter," issued Nigeria's Federal Government a May 29 deadline to release jailed militant leader Dokubo Asari or "risk the death of seven expatriate oil workers", including three American citizens, kidnapped May 25. On May 27, eight American citizens remain hostages in the Niger Delta in three separate incidents. In Bayelsa State, three American TransCoastal employees kidnapped on May 25, as well as American Chevron employee John Stapleton kidnapped May 1, remain hostages. In Delta State, four American Global Industries employees remain hostages after being abducted May ¶8. End Summary. -------------- --- Militants Threaten to Kill TransCoastal Hostages -------------- --- ¶2. (C) A May 27 news source reported the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND),"Bayelsa State Chapter," issued the Federal Government a May 29 deadline to release jailed militant leader Dokubo Asari or "risk the death of seven expatriate oil workers," including three Americans, kidnapped May 25 off the coast of Bayelsa State (Ref A). According to this news source, a Filipino, South African and Nigerian taken hostage in this incident have been released. (Note: No other news sources have published this threat nor reported the release of the other three hostages. End Note.) According to the article, "Joshua Makaira," the purported Commander of MEND, claimed to be holding these expatriates hostages, as well as British national Jeff Treen, who was kidnapped May 4 off the shore of Bayelsa State near Sangana. (Comment: We believe "Joshua Makaira," is Joshua McGuyver (Ref B),on whom we have reported in the past as acting independently. End Comment.) -------------- TransCoastal/Bayelsa: 3 Amcits, 6 Other Expats Remain Hostage -------------- ¶3. (C) American citizens Bobbie Tyner, Shane McMorris, and Richard Moore, as well as four British nationals, remain hostages following their May 25 kidnapping (Ref A). On May 27, an unconfirmed news source reported the release of the Filipino, South African, and Nigerian hostages. The three Amcits have no known medical conditions. On May 26, a Nigerian TransCoastal representative met Bayelsa State Governor-elect Timipre Sylva in Yenagoa. No contact information or proof of life for the hostages has been LAGOS 00000394 002.2 OF 002 received. ¶4. (C) TransCoastal said it was demobilizing and offloading approximately 130 employees from the barge which was attacked on May 25. The company planned to return its expatriates home as soon as possible. -------------- Bayelsa/Chevron: 1 Amcit, 5 Other Expats Held -------------- ¶5. (C) American citizen John Stapleton, four Italians, and one Croatian remain hostages after being kidnapped May 1. Victor Ebikabowei, the purported kidnapper, allowed the Director of State Security Service (SSS) to speak over the telephone to the hostage suffering from a rash; the SSS Director believed this individual was Amcit John Stapleton. Chevron has included hydrocortisone and ibuprofen in a welfare package which will soon be passed to the SSS for delivery. Dr. Godknows Igali, Secretary to the Bayelsa State Government, expected the hostages to be released either May 29 or 30. ¶6. (C) The SSS told Chevron that Ebikabowei is purportedly in debt to arms dealer/militant leader Henry Okah. The SSS's emissary inquired how much money Chevron was willing to pay for the hostages' release; Chevron declined to pay. Chevron sources received reports that Tom Polo and Henry Okah met on May 26. -------------- Delta/GI: 4 Amcits Remain Hostages; Little Government Contact -------------- ¶7. (C) American citizens Kevin Faller, Christopher Gay, Michael Rousell and Larry Plake, employed by Global Industries (GI) and kidnapped offshore Delta State on May 8, remain hostages. On May 26, GI representatives said they had not heard from either the Director of Delta State Security Service (SSS) or the Secretary to State Government (SSG), since May 22. GI representatives did not answer over 38 telephone calls from the kidnappers received since May 22 (Ref A). GI said the hostages' families received a couple of phone calls but did not provide further information. ¶8. (C) GI representatives believe the group responsible for this kidnapping operated under the name Egbema I or Nigeria Delta Freedom Fighters. GI also reported that Tom Polo met with Henry Okah on May 26; GI also heard that Polo "took Okah hostage". (Note: We have no further information about or confirmation of the incident. End Note.) The Delta State Government, GI and Chevron have told the kidnappers they will not pay ransom. BROWNE