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 -------------- -------------- ¶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 -------------- -------------- ¶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 -------------- --- ¶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