Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07LAGOS94
2007-02-08 14:30:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Lagos
Cable title:
SITREP 11: HOSTAGES REMAIN CAPTIVE; FILIPINO FOUND
how-toVZCZCXRO1960 OO RUEHPA DE RUEHOS #0094 0391430 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 081430Z FEB 07 FM AMCONSUL LAGOS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8484 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA PRIORITY 8315 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 0125 RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ PRIORITY 0105 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 0112 RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO PRIORITY 0123 RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAHLC/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000094
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC
WARSAW FOR LISA PIASCIK
CIUDAD JUAREZ FOR DONNA BLAIR
ISTANBUL FOR TASHAWNA SMITH
SAO PAULO FOR ANDREW WITHERSPOON
DOE FOR GPERSON, CGAY
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: 02/08/2017
TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM NI PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SITREP 11: HOSTAGES REMAIN CAPTIVE; FILIPINO FOUND
DEAD, FRENCHMAN ABDUCTED
REF: LAGOS 91
Classified By: Consul Alan Latimer for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000094
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC
WARSAW FOR LISA PIASCIK
CIUDAD JUAREZ FOR DONNA BLAIR
ISTANBUL FOR TASHAWNA SMITH
SAO PAULO FOR ANDREW WITHERSPOON
DOE FOR GPERSON, CGAY
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: 02/08/2017
TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM NI PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SITREP 11: HOSTAGES REMAIN CAPTIVE; FILIPINO FOUND
DEAD, FRENCHMAN ABDUCTED
REF: LAGOS 91
Classified By: Consul Alan Latimer for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
1. (C) Summary. John Walker of Control Risks Group told the
Pivot-GIS Hostage Crisis Group on February 8 American citizen
Bill Graham and Nigerian national Ezekiel Akwa remain in
captivity. Security contacts confirmed to Regional Security
Officer (RSO) a Filipino woman abducted on February 7 in Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, was found dead February 8. A French
national contracted to Total was abducted by armed men in
Port Harcourt on February 7. End Summary.
2. (C) Alhaji Kola Adeshina, Director of Rivers State
Security Service (SSS),told John Walker of Control Risks
Group on February 7 the ransom for American citizen Bill
Graham and Nigerian national Ezekiel Akwa cannot be prepared
until Governor Peter Odili returns from Abuja. Adeshina then
announced he would be traveling to Lagos on February 8.
Walker told the daily Hostage Crisis Group he believes Odili
and Adeshina's absence is the only factor preventing Graham
and Akwa's release.
3. (C) A reliable security contact told RSO a Filipino woman
abducted in Port Harcourt on February 7 was found dead on
February 8. Mrs. Bes Ruffan, who was married to an Iranian
man, was purportedly on her way to deposit USD 10,000 in a
local bank when she was kidnapped.
4. (C) Also on February 7, armed men abducted French
national Gerard Laporal in Port Harcourt when he was
returning home around 9 PM, a Total representative confirmed.
According to security sources, Laporal lives near Aker base
but not on Total's compound. Laporal has been a contractor
with Total for over 10 years and is married to a Nigerian
woman.
BROWNE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC
WARSAW FOR LISA PIASCIK
CIUDAD JUAREZ FOR DONNA BLAIR
ISTANBUL FOR TASHAWNA SMITH
SAO PAULO FOR ANDREW WITHERSPOON
DOE FOR GPERSON, CGAY
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: 02/08/2017
TAGS: ASEC CASC EPET KDEM NI PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: SITREP 11: HOSTAGES REMAIN CAPTIVE; FILIPINO FOUND
DEAD, FRENCHMAN ABDUCTED
REF: LAGOS 91
Classified By: Consul Alan Latimer for reasons 1.4 (B) and (D)
1. (C) Summary. John Walker of Control Risks Group told the
Pivot-GIS Hostage Crisis Group on February 8 American citizen
Bill Graham and Nigerian national Ezekiel Akwa remain in
captivity. Security contacts confirmed to Regional Security
Officer (RSO) a Filipino woman abducted on February 7 in Port
Harcourt, Rivers State, was found dead February 8. A French
national contracted to Total was abducted by armed men in
Port Harcourt on February 7. End Summary.
2. (C) Alhaji Kola Adeshina, Director of Rivers State
Security Service (SSS),told John Walker of Control Risks
Group on February 7 the ransom for American citizen Bill
Graham and Nigerian national Ezekiel Akwa cannot be prepared
until Governor Peter Odili returns from Abuja. Adeshina then
announced he would be traveling to Lagos on February 8.
Walker told the daily Hostage Crisis Group he believes Odili
and Adeshina's absence is the only factor preventing Graham
and Akwa's release.
3. (C) A reliable security contact told RSO a Filipino woman
abducted in Port Harcourt on February 7 was found dead on
February 8. Mrs. Bes Ruffan, who was married to an Iranian
man, was purportedly on her way to deposit USD 10,000 in a
local bank when she was kidnapped.
4. (C) Also on February 7, armed men abducted French
national Gerard Laporal in Port Harcourt when he was
returning home around 9 PM, a Total representative confirmed.
According to security sources, Laporal lives near Aker base
but not on Total's compound. Laporal has been a contractor
with Total for over 10 years and is married to a Nigerian
woman.
BROWNE