NIGERIA: FIVE ATTACKS; NO AMERICANS INVOLVED

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000314

SIPDIS

DOE FOR GPERSON, CHAYLOCK
TREASURY FOR DFIELDS, AIERONIMO, RHALL
DOC FOR 3317/ITA/OA/KBURRESS
DOC FOR 3130/USFC/OIO/ANESA/DHARRIS
STATE PASS USTR FOR USTR AGAMA
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ
STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN AND MSTUCKART
STATE PASS TDA FOR LFITT, PMARIN
STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2018
TAGS: PGOV PREL EPET NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: FIVE ATTACKS; NO AMERICANS INVOLVED

Classified By: Consul General Donna Blair, Reasons 1.4 (B,D)


1. (C) Summary: Five separate attacks on foreign interests
in the Niger Delta, including one attack on the Nembe
pipeline, occurred in Rivers State between July 24 and July

30. No Americans were involved in the incidents. On July
24, the local press reported that the Movement for the
Empancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) pledged to attack
major pipelines to refute a claim by Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group Manager, Alhaji Abubakar
Lawal Yar'Adua, (no relation to the President Yar'Adua) that
he paid 1.4 billion Naira (USD 12 million) to militants to
allow repair of the Chanomi Creek pipeline in Delta State. A
former militant leader told POLOFF that "very little" of the
money had actually reached the militants, and that it was the
discrepancy between the amount NNPC said it had paid and the
amount they had received that enraged them. (Note: The term
militant is used commonly in Nigeria to refer to armed
persons operating in the Niger Delta regardless of motivation
and character. End Summary.)

Shell Confirms Nembe Line Damaged; Force Majeur Declared
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2. (C) Marcus Droll, Technical Vice President of Shell
Petroleum Development Corporation, (strictly protect)
confirmed to Pol-Econ Section Chief that Shell's Nembe trunk
line had been damaged early on the morning of July 28. The
Nembe trunk line is a key pipeline running West to East from
Nembe to Bonny in Rivers State. According to Droll, the
pipeline has been shut down, shutting in 120,000 barrels per
day of oil. Although Droll was willing to confirm only the
attack on the Nembe pipeline, newspaper reports claim that an
unidentified Shell spokesman confirmed damage to the Kula
pipeline or a pipeline near Kula as well. Shell has declared
"force majeure" and announced that it may not be able to meet
some supply contracts at its Bonny terminal.

Swedish Tug "Herkules" Attacked; No Americans Involved
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3. (C) On July 24 the Swedish owned tug "Herkules" chartered
to Saipem was hijacked and taken to the Sambreiro River, 15
nautical miles west of the mouth of the Bonny river. At 9:00
am on July 25, the vessel was released along with seven
members of the 12-man Russian and Ukranian crew. Later that
day the remaining five crew members were also released.

Damas Oil Workers Kidnapped; No Americans Involved
-------------- --------------

4. (C) Also on July 24, two oil engineers one Filipino and
one Nigerian were kidnapped in Port Harcourt by 15 armed men
operating from two speed boats. The kidnapped men were crew
of a vessel of Damas Oil and Marine Services.

Filipino Kidnapped in Port Harcourt Market
--------------

5. (C) On July 25, another Filipino was kidnapped in a market
place in Port Harcourt. Security personnel deemed this
incident to be most likely a crime of opportunity.

Norwegian Vessel Attacked; No Americans Involved
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6. (C) Also on July 25, the Norwegian-owned vessel "Berge
Okoloba Toru" was boarded by six armed men near Bonny Port.
Naval guards were ovepowered, two civilians were shot and
injured and eight expatriates were abducted. The kidnapped
men were reportedly five Latvians, two Russians and one
Lithuanian. All of those detained in this incident have
since been released.

Two Julius Berger Workers Still Held.
--------------

7. (C) Two German workers for the construction firm Julius
Berger abducted July 11 are still being held.
Discrepancy May Have Spurred Attacks
--------------

8. (C) Group Managing Director of NNPC, Abubakar Yar'Adua,
told the National Assembly House of Representatives Committee
on Finance that the company paid over 1.4 billion Naira (USD
12 million) to "militants" to allow repair and operation of
the Chanomi Creek pipeline. On July 24, the local press
reported that the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger
Delta (MEND) (Note: MEND is less an organisation than a name
of convenience adopted by militants claiming responsibility
for events in the Niger Delta. End Note.) announced that the
money had been paid not to militants but to armed gangs and
promised to destroy the Chanomi Creek pipeline in Delta State
and other pipelines. The press also reported that a spokesman
for the NNPC claimed that the Managing Director was misquoted
and that the monies were spent for policing and paid to
comunities, not militants.


9. (C) On July 30, POLOFF spoke with a former militant leader
who said that the individuals whoe made the announcement in
the name of MEND had been shocked at the amount of money NNPC
said it had spent. He said that in fact "very little" of the
money had reached the militants and that it was the
discrepancy between what was reportedly paid and what they
had actually received that outraged them.

This cable has been cleared by Embassy Abuja.
BLAIR