SITREP 31: 3 AMCITS REMAIN HOSTAGE; GOVERNOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LAGOS 000442 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: 06/11/2017 TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET PGOV PREL KDEM NI SUBJECT: SITREP 31: 3 AMCITS REMAIN HOSTAGE; GOVERNOR PREDICTS JUNE 11 RELEASE REF: A. LAGOS 437 ¶B. LAGOS 419 ¶C. LAGOS 427 LAGOS 00000442 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Consul Alan B. C. Latimer for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (C) American citizens Bobbie Tyner, Shane McMorris and Richard Moore, four British nationals, one South African, one Filipino and one Nigerian national kidnapped offshore Bayelsa State on May 25 remain hostage. On June 11, TransCoastal (TCO) reported there has been "no real change" to the situation. Company representatives met with Bayelsa Governor Timipre Sylva on June 10. Although TCO has not had direct contact with the hostages since June 3 (Ref B),the company's hired emissary reported they were unharmed. Company representatives said they were prepared for an imminent release but did not share release plan details. ¶2. (C) Governor Sylva told the Acting Consul General he expected all ten hostages, plus British national Jeff Treen who was kidnapped May 4 off the shore of Bayelsa State (Ref C),to be released to him in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on June ¶11. Sylva said he was working with TransCoastal (TCO) on the release and that he was in direct communication with the militants. He did not specify the terms of negotiation. The Governor did not foresee complications with the release but commented one helicopter would not accommodate all the individuals at one time. (Note: We suspect Sylva was referring to a helicopter transfer to Lagos from Yenagoa. End Note.) ¶3. (SBU) Tamuno Godswill and Oyinye Alaebi, purportedly with the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), issued a June 11 press release stating all foreign nationals in MEND's custody would be released to the governors of Bayelsa and Rivers states that day. The statement claims the hostages would be released on humanitarian grounds but warned kidnappings would continue if Yar'Adua's administration does not release jailed militant leader Asari Dokubo and former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. The release further demanded Shell pay Bayelsa State communities USD 1.5 billion "as compensation for environmental degradation and pollutions." Lastly, the MEND statement demanded the immediate and unconditional demilitarization of Ijaw land in the Niger Delta. (Note: This press release does not list British national Jeff Treen as being held by MEND. End Note.) ¶4. (C) Comment: TCO has not provided or discussed a release plan--their nonchalance on this issue may suggest they are prepared to "wing it." We are now aware of three individuals ostensibly negotiating the release: the company's hired emissary, Dr. Godknows Igali (Special Advisor to the President on the Niger Delta),and Governor Sylva. It is not clear who is taking the lead, although we suspect their efforts are likely being coordinated. End Comment. LAGOS 00000442 002.2 OF 002 LATIMER