Security in Niger Delta

Security in the Niger Delta
Monthly Report January 2008
Map: 2007 Serious security incidents - as of January 1, 2008
Black numbers (61 - 68): December attacks
Report release date: January 3, 2008 Contents: FOCUS ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3 KEY POINTS ............................................................................................................................................................... 3 NEXT 30 DAYS............................................................................................................................................................ 5 BEYOND 30 DAYS ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 SECURITY ................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Mail received from MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo............................................................................. 6 Nigerian oil delta rebels pull out of peace talks .......................................................................................... 6 Military in Air Strike Against Ateke Tom .................................................................................................. 7 Fighting rocks Nigerian oil city .................................................................................................................. 8 MARITIME .................................................................................................................................................................. 8 44 fishermen, N120m lost to pirates ........................................................................................................... 8 POLITICS .................................................................................................................................................................... 8 Nigerian leader seeks ratification of Bakassi deal....................................................................................... 8 Yar'Adua Denies Accepting U.S. Africa Command ................................................................................... 9 The Coup Against Nuhu Ribadu ................................................................................................................. 9 OTHER ISSUES .......................................................................................................................................................... 10 Nigeria's drug trade ................................................................................................................................... 10 INCIDENT STATISTICS ............................................................................................................................................... 11 SERIOUS SECURITY INCIDENTS 2007 IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER ......................................................................... 13
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Focus
The focus of this report (and its associated security map) is on the international* petroleum industry and serious security incidents caused by militants, community based pressure groups and criminal gangs operating in the three main oil producing states: Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers. Incidents in neighbouring states and on non-oil industries are tracked and mapped based on available sources. Serious security incidents are defined as: kidnaps, pipeline bombings, serious crime (armed assault/murder/armed robbery) and car bombs.
* Only attacks on international staff and material assets are included. Listing incidents impacting on local staff/assets would give higher numbers. It would also present serious challenges with regard to overview, and to verifiable and unbiased sources.
Key Points
Statistics & Facts Eight attacks (incidents no. 61-68) were carried out against international interests in December. This is five more than the previous month and a significant increase from last autumns monthly averages. (See full stats on pages 11-12.) All the attacks in December were marine related, six of which occurred on the Bonny River between Bonny Island and Port Harcourt and two off Escravos. 70 attacks on international industry occurred in 2007, compared to 31 in 2006. No foreigners were kidnapped in December, as was also the case in November. Prior to this, September 2006 was the latest month without expat-kidnap victims. Nigerians, however, continue being taken for ransom and political leverage. No international personnel are being held hostage as of December 31. 167 foreigners were abducted in 46 separate incidents in 2007. 166 were released. One died. 70 foreigners were abducted in 2006, 69 of which were released alive.
Security Shore based attacks decrease. Maritime incidents are on the rise. Since September 27 (Saipem/Aker Base) virtually all attacks on international firms have occurred on or near water suggesting militants and criminals alike now prefer maritime hit and
run tactics. Using fast craft they have the upper hand on slow moving Nigerian naval forces, securing a safe retreat to their hideouts in the mangrove swamps of the Delta. Govt. forces storms Ateke Toms house in Okrika (just SE of Port Harcourt) on Dec 10-12. Ateke, leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante and a main player on the areas criminal scene, retaliates on the 19th by attacking a ship at Okrika Jetty and storming two Port Harcourt police stations, the Presidential Hotel and a night club early New Years Day. The peace talks that are expected to lead up to a Niger Delta Summit are in trouble. Several groups pull out mid-December following leaked plans of the Government to crush groups who will not comply. Still, the plan is not dead quite yet. Lack of strategy, cohesion and unity within the ranks of the Deltas political militancy impede peace efforts. (Who are their legitimate representatives?) MEND militants in Bayelsa state agreed to a 12 months conditional cease fire on Dec 5 but this was later denied by MEND in a statement on Dec 8. Secretary General Grand Alliance of Niger Delta (GAND), Commander Samuel Ebiye announced his resignation from the group on December 10 due to irreconcilable differences within the group. The International Crisis Group (ICG), on December 5, issued a report Nigeria. Ending Unrest in
the Niger Delta warning that the situation may deteriorate even further unless a political
solution is found. It criticized the Nigerian Government for not having a coherent strategy for dealing with the crisis.
Full list of 2007 security incidents in chronological order on pages 13-38.
Maritime Liberia (on Dec 17) and Norway (Dec 19) raised ISPS security level from level I to level II for ships operating in Nigerian coastal waters and ports.
Politics Ruling PDP party sweeps Local Government elections amid low voter turnout. The opposition protests, like they did after the April Presidential and State elections. US African Command (AFRICOM) YarAdua and Bush meet in Washington on Dec 13: No bases on Nigerian soil but the U.S. is still Nigerias most important partner.
Corruption chief Nuhu Ribadu is, controversionally, reassigned/removed on December 28. The decision was approved by President YarAdua and has been criticised by Nigerian civil society leaders as well as international NGOs.
President Yar'Adua asked the Senate on Dec 11 to ratify a June 2006 agreement to hand over the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon. Bakassis transfer of sovereignty from Nigeria to Cameroon was completed in 2006 as a result of a judgment by the International Court of Justice. On November 22, 2007 the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria rejected the transfer. The Presidents call was made to defuse tension and reduce the risk of conflict.
Other Port Harcourt International airport reopened on December 18. Day/visual flights only.
Next 30 days
The risk of attacks by militant factions, community groups and criminal gangs remains high. Groups and individuals who feel they have been left out of the ongoing peace process are the main elements of insecurity.
Most likely target areas are Port Harcourt, Bonny River and the Atlantic coast. The standoff between Government security forces and militant leader Ateke Tom will continue to generate a poor security environment in Port Harcourt/Okrika/north Bonny River area.
MEND, or at least those close to Jomo Gbomo/Henry Okah, will use his arrest as an excuse to continue attacks on international firms and Nigerian security forces.
Negotiation fatigue over the Niger Delta Summit may manifest itself in increased violence over the coming reporting period, also beyond the 30-day outlook, unless substantial progress is made. The government will try to bring groups that left the negotiation table back on board so as to avoid risk of escalated violence.
Beyond 30 Days
Long term factors of potential insecurity are: impatience over the delay of the Niger Delta Summit; crime and piracy (esp. Port Harcourt; Bonny River and Atlantic coast); fallout of the April elections (battle for positions - court cases still ongoing); poverty, pollution, lack of clean running water and electricity, unemployment, corruption.
The shortcomings (money, maintenance, discipline, corruption etc.) of Nigerian security forces will to continue impede their ability to act as a credible security provider both on and off shore.
Firms operating in the Niger Delta are advised to remain focussed and alerted to security risks. Instability and risk of violent action will remain mainstays of the entire Niger Delta.
US negotiations over bases in Nigeria and the wider Gulf of Guinea area are expected to continue. AFRICOM can become a factor of stability but US presence is highly controversial as it stirs political sentiments, geo-strategic issues as well as national pride.
Security
Mail received from MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo

From: Jomo Gbomo [mailto:@yahoo.com] Sent: 17. desember 2007 13:31 To: Subject: War Against Injustice December 17, 2007. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) supports and commends the position taken by the Ijaw Youth Leaders Forum as outlined in its communiqu dated December 14, 2007. MEND has long suspected the insincerity of the Nigerian government, the military, and oil majors along with their collaborators, notably the likes of traitors such as Asari Dokubo and General O.Azazi who have sold their birth rights for a bowl of porridge. The secret memo leaked from the office of the Chief of Defence Staff affirms the insincerity of the government to plan an attack while at the same time pretending to talk peace. This revelation makes it impossible for any disarmament to take place at this time. We call on all genuine militant groups to unite and cripple the oil industry in Nigeria once and for all and stand strong to face a common enemy. The time has come for all breakaway factions to come together and wage war of a different kind in 2008. Jomo Gbomo
Nigerian oil delta rebels pull out of peace talks

Dec 15/Reuters: An influential rebel commander in Nigeria's oil-producing Niger Delta has ordered the suspension of peace talks with the government because of military incursions and the arrest of another commander. Government Ekpemupolo was one of the militants involved in attacks on the oil industry in early 2006 that shut down a fifth of Nigerian output, contributing to a rise in world oil prices. Ekpemupolo's participation in negotiations with the government that came into office in May was
regarded as a mark of the talks' seriousness and his withdrawal is a blow to hopes of pacifying Nigeria's oil heartland. New President Umaru Yar'Adua promised to address the root causes of the crisis with a 15-year development plan for the delta and by negotiating with the militants. Yar'Adua's deputy is Goodluck Jonathan, a native of the delta. In a statement emailed to journalists on Saturday (Dec 15), Ekpemupolo said the government's stated intention to bring peace to the delta was at odds with the military's attitude. He highlighted the arrest of Henry Okah, another rebel leader, who was detained in Angola in September on gun-running charges. The rebels accuse Nigeria of being behind the arrest. "Comrade Henry Okah among others was reached, consulted and made to concede to the ongoing peace process. Of what relevance could his arrest and continued incarceration in Angola ... be to the success of the peace process?" Ekpemupolo said. Ekpemupolo's statement said he had met other fighters at Oporoza, deep in the creeks of the delta, and they had agreed to stop talking to the government and instead hold internal meetings to decide what to do next.1
Military in Air Strike Against Ateke Tom

Dec 30/Vanguard (Lagos) excerpt: The Joint Task Force, JTF, yesterday, carried out aerial bombings at targeted places suspected to be hideouts of the alleged cult leader, Ateke Tom, in Okrika, Rivers State. Confirming the development to Sunday Vanguard on phone, the JTF spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, said they acted on intelligence report that the places attacked were the alleged cultist's hideouts and armoury. Ateke equally confirmed the air raid but boasted that the task force could not get him. Musa said that the attack was restricted to Dawes Island General area, in Okrika. According to the JTF spokesman, three camps operated by the alleged cult leader were in the island. Responding to the air strike in a text message to Sunday Vanguard in Port Harcourt, yesterday, Ateke said two fighter "helicopters belonging to the JTF carried out bombing of" one of his camps along the Bonny axis. "But I was not in the camp and they cannot get me". He went on: "This is provocation of the highest form and calls to question the sincerity of the JTF in its duties if innocent civilians could be bombed without any reason. Although no one was wounded, it was, however, targeted at me and the people who are living their normal lives without offending the security of the state or anyone. "The Federal Government is yet to rebuild my houses which were burnt by the JTF and pay all the money looted by the soldiers and property that were removed also. I have given an ultimatum of seven days and I stand by it. I cannot be intimidated by the continuous attacks on me and my boys by agents of the Federal Government but I have a right to fight back."2
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http://africa.reuters.com/top/news/usnBAN539326.html http://allafrica.com/stories/200712300014.html
Fighting rocks Nigerian oil city

Jan 1/BBC: At least 13 people have been killed in attacks by gunmen on two police stations and a hotel in the Nigerian oil city of Port Harcourt. Four police officers and six attackers died along with three civilians who were hit by stray bullets in an attack on one of the police stations. Several other people are reported to have been killed in an attack on a night club in the city. Niger Delta militants have reportedly said they carried out the attacks. The Niger Delta Vigilante Movement, led by Ateke Tom, is demanding the return of rice and cattle seized during a recent raid in their base by the authorities. Government planes also bombed suspected training camps thought to be run by the group in mangrove swamps and creeks south of the city. The military acted after peace talks between the group and the government broke down.3
Maritime
44 fishermen, N120m lost to pirates
Dec 7/Vanguard: Agricultural and Allied Workers Union of Nigeria (AAWUN) has condemned the increasing attacks on members' fishing vessels by people suspected to be sea pirates, and it called on both the federal and Lagos State government to protect fishing vessels from the sea criminals. AAWUN noted that members had lost over N120 million to the activities of pirates and said it would also want relevant agencies of both the federal and Lagos State government to adequately protect the nations territorial waters and save the local fishing industry from imminent collapse. Chairman of Lagos State Council of AAWUN, Comrade Obafemi Oyenubi, in a state-ment, lamented that in the last two years, the union had recorded incessant attacks on fishing vessels belonging to member companies and crew members from sea pirates within Nigerias territorial waters. He said: No fewer that 44 members of our union, AAWUN, have been killed during such attacks. Products carted away are estimated to cost about N120 million.4
Politics
Nigerian leader seeks ratification of Bakassi deal
Dec 11/Reuters: Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua asked the Senate on Tuesday to ratify a June 2006 agreement to hand over the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon, in a move to avert a new diplomatic crisis over an old dispute. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had agreed to cede the territory, which has
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offshore oil deposits, in line with a 2002 ruling by the International Court of Justice. The neighbours had argued about Bakassi for decades and come close to war over it. After the deal, all seemed well until suspected Nigerian rebels killed 21 Cameroonian soldiers in Bakassi on Nov. 12 in an unexplained raid and the Nigerian Senate said on Nov. 22 the deal had not been ratified by parliament and thus was illegal. The two events caused a flurry of diplomatic efforts to avert a flare up of tension with Cameroon.5
Yar'Adua Denies Accepting U.S. Africa Command

Dec 15/This Day: Partnership with the US African Command (AFRICOM) does not translate to an acceptance of the command. Yar'Adua's sudden volte face is coming on the heels of his meeting with President George Bush of the US at the White House, Thursday, during which he affirmed Nigeria's commitment to partner with the US on AFRICOM for the provision of security in the continent. But in an interview with the Hausa service of the Voice of America (VOA) in Washington DC, monitored by THISDAY, he said Nigeria plans to establish military bases in Africa to be managed by Africans for the protection of oil reserves. He stated: "I did not accept AFRICOM in my discussions with Bush. I asked for assistance and told Bush that we have our plans to establish bases for African countries. We asked for training on weapons and training to establish our bases to be managed by our people." "Seven countries in the Gulf of Guinea will be involved," he stated. The president said he asked for training from the US government. The US insisted it can only render help through its AFRICOM base in Stuttgart, Germany, said Yar'Adua. The President claimed there was a misunderstanding of his comments at the White House on Thursday. It is a partnership, not an acceptance, he stressed. His acceptance to partner with the US on AFRICOM during his meeting with the US president on Thursday, strayed from the opposition to the establishment of the command by the Council of States of which the president is the chairman. Also, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Ojo Madu-ekwe, who is part of the president's delegation to the US had himself stated that Nigeria would not support the presence of US troops on African soil under the auspices of AFRICOM.6
The Coup Against Nuhu Ribadu

December 30/Daily Trust (Abuja) analysis: The announcement last week by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Ehindero, that Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, is to proceed to National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, near Jos, signaled the end of a fierce battle to unseat headship of one agency that has become a terror
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http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L11873928.htm http://allafrica.com/stories/200712150069.html
to the club of past governors accused of being corrupt. The sacking of the anti-graft czar could not have come at a better time, according to one of the critics of the commission, than now when the agency is involved in prosecuting two governors, James Ibori of Delta and Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti at the courts of law. Full article at: http://allafrica.com/stories/200712300016.html
Other Issues
Nigeria's drug trade
Dec 6/The Economist (exerpt): West Africa is the newest centre for trafficking drugs into Europe. European demand for cocaine and heroin is rising fast and dealers, faced with intense scrutiny on familiar import routes, have been obliged to find new ones. Cocaine from the Andes is arriving at west Africa's ports, airports and border crossings. Heroin from Afghanistan is coming in too. Nigeria is not the only victim of the growing trade. Guinea-Bissau, a small country emerging from civil war and a string of coups, has seen its tiny export economy overrun by illegal drugs. But as the economic hub of west Africa, Nigeria has, inevitably, also become its drug-trafficking hub. Last year 44% of the west African drug-traffickers arrested in Europe were Nigerian (compared with 3% from Guinea-Bissau). Drugs have been trickling across Nigeria's borders since the 1980s, but over the past few years the trickle has become a torrent. Nigeria's history of fighting the scourge is not the sort to discourage dealers. Its drug agency, founded in 1990, was immediately immersed in scandal when its own top people were themselves found to be involved in trafficking. At the end of October the country's independent commission on corrupt practices called in the agency's former chairman and eight other officials for questioning over money and drugs missing from an exhibit. Organised criminals have also got into the business. The country's anti-graft body, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, says it often stumbles upon drugs during moneylaundering raids. The most powerful crime syndicates are involved, says Lamorde Ibrahim, the commission's director of operations in Lagos. A six-person group from his office and the drugenforcement agency work incognito, unknown even to colleagues. The network of gangs and dealers means that drugs are increasingly available on Nigeria's streets. At the Lagos State Rehab and Vocational Training Centre former junkies tell stories of taking to drugs while at university, or jobless, or under pressure from the city's notorious gangs of area boys. Enough cannabis to roll one cigarette can be found on the streets for as little as 20 naira (about 15 cents). The UN's drugs office estimates that heroin and cocaine cost slightly more, at 20 to 50 naira and 80 to 100 naira a pinch.
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Reform of the drug agency may have begun to be serious. Pointing to a change, Mr Ipinmisho says that traffickers are often confused by their arrest, having been promised safe passage through the airport by junior officers, who can now no longer sneak them through. The intentions may be better, but the agency still complains of its lack of equipment and manpower. Nigeria is the only west African country on America's list of major drug-producing and transit countries. It is concerned enough to have sent Tom Schweich, the State Department's international drugs man, to Nigeria last month. He promised to supply the latest body-cavity X-ray machines to four of Nigeria's international airports. New technology like this will be installed first at the airports and then, more slowly, at ports and land borders. Not too slowly, Nigerians hope. Their country is already notorious for corruption and financial crime; the last thing it needs is narcotics too.7
Incident statistics
Information cut-off: 12:00 hrs (CEST) January 1, 2008
Summary by type of incident

KIDNAPPINGS PIPELINE BOMBS* SERIOUS CRIME** CAR BOMBS TOTAL
2006 2007
21 46
4 4
3 20
3 0
31 70
Situation as at December 31, 2007

* Incidents 28 a, b and c are counted as three incidents although it is assessed that they were closely co-ordinated. ** Assault/murder/armed robbery
Perpetrators* MEND 2006 2007 10 10 OTHER GROUPS 21 60
*MEND may well be involved in more incidents than stated here. Only actions where their spokesmen have publicly claimed responsibility have been tallied as MEND actions. The numbers should be used with caution. They do not take into consideration the interwoven nature of the groups operating in the Delta. Nor do they shed much light on the thin line between politically motivated violence and criminal acts perpetrated purely for personal, financial gain. The distinction (MEND/other groups) is nevertheless relevant as it gives an indication as to the motives of the perpetrators. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and other politically motivated groups are more likely to agree to halt attacks if included in political processes and met with government concessions. Criminal groups are less likely to stop attacking international firms unless met by force/legal action. We know; this is an oversimplification, but we still find it useful as an analytical tool, particularly with regard to risk forecasting. MEND opted out of the government peace talks that began in early June. Since mid-summer evidence of MENDs diminishing relevance and capability had become increasingly clearer, yet the group struck again twice in October (three times if we include the attack on NNS Obula, a Nigerian Navy ship). MEND has continued to issues hostile statements in November and December and claimed responsibility for the attack on ExxonMobils Qua Iboe terminal near Eket (Akwa Ibom state) on November 12.
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http://www.economist.com/world/africa/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10263174
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Incidents by month JAN 2006 2007 3 7 FEB 3 7 MAR 1 4 APR 0 3 MAY 2 15 JUN 3 11 JUL 2 7 AUG 7 1 SEP 0 2 OCT 2 2 NOV 3 3 DEC 5 8
Status as at December 31, 2007
Kidnap victims 2006 JAN Taken Released Deaths Still held

Status as at March 31, 2007
* A British citizen was killed in a gun battle on November 22 when his kidnappers ran into a Nigerian security patrol. ** One Italian was released on January 17. A Lebanese hostage escaped on Feb 21, according to MEND. ENI/Agip, the victims employer, says he was released. The remaining two hostages taken on Dec 7 2006 were released on 15th March after 99 days in captivity.
FEB 9 9 0
MAR 0 0 0
APR 0 0 0
MAY 3 3 0
JUN 15 15 0
JUL 2 2 0
AUG 17 17 0
SEP 0 0 0
OCT 7 7 0
NOV 9 8 1*
DEC 4 4** 0
Total 70 69 1 0
4 4 0
Kidnap victims 2007 JAN Taken Released Deaths Still held

Status as at December 31, 2007
*One Syrian hostage, kidnapped on June 30, died on August 12. He suffered from hypertension and did not receive medical attention while in captivity.
FEB 9 9 0
MAR 6 6 0
APR 6 6 0
MAY 45 45 0
JUN 31 30 1*
JUL 9 9 0
AUG 1 1 0
SEP 2 2 0
OCT 9 9 0
NOV 0 0 0
DEC 0 0 0
Total 167 166 1 0
49 49 0
Currently held: 0
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Serious Security Incidents 2007 in chronological order

1. Jan 5 KIDNAP Five Chinese workers kidnapped in Isiodu, near Port Harcourt. One Chinese escaped the kidnappers who drove a van and were dressed in military fatigues. The workers were employed by Sichuan Telecommunication Company and were involved in a Nigerian rural telephone project. This is the first time Chinese nationals have been kidnapped in Nigeria. MEND denied involvement in the kidnapping. The victims were released on Jan 18. It is not known whether a ransom was paid. 2. Jan 10 - KIDNAP Nine South Korean workers and one Nigerian were kidnapped when gunmen attacked a base operated by South Korea's Daewoo Engineering and Construction in the Bayelsa state capital Yenagoa. Militants armed with guns and dynamite came in six boats to the riverside base on the outskirts of Yenagoa. They blew up part of an office building and the ground was littered with pieces of zinc roofing, electrical fittings and air conditioning units. MEND told Reuters in an e-mail it was not involved in the attack on the Daewoo base and it had information suggesting the kidnappers wanted a ransom for the Koreans. The hostages were freed on Jan 12. It is not known whether a ransom was paid. 3. Jan 16 ARMED ROBBERY Two people, including a Dutch oil worker, were killed when their boat, operated by South Korean firm Hyundai, was attacked on its way to the Bonny Island export terminal. The ferry was operating because poor visibility had grounded helicopters. The ferry was carrying a large amount of cash and the attack was an armed robbery. It is likely that information about the money transport were leaked from inside Hyundai, according to a military source. 4. Jan 20 - KIDNAP Militants seized a cargo ship belonging to German shipping line Baco-Liner on its way to Warri port in Delta State. All 24 Filipino crew members were taken hostage. MEND initially distanced itself from the abduction and claimed it was carried out by a local community group. There are, however, indications that MEND was, or subsequently became involved in the abduction. (They paraded the victims in front of a CNN journalist in early February.) Philippine President Gloria Arroyo ordered Philippine workers not to travel to Nigeria following this and other kidnappings of Philippine workers in 2006. (This was the fifth kidnapping involving Philippine nationals in Nigeria since Feb 18 2006.) The 24 Philippine sailors were released on Feb 13. The kidnappers said they had freed the men on humanitarian grounds without receiving any ransom, following the intervention of local elders and authorities. In an email statement, MEND again claimed not to be responsible for the kidnap. In May it was revealed that four containers of explosives had disappeared from the ship. 925 kg of high explosives, 110,000 electronic detonators, detonating fuses and extension wires were missing from the shipment.
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5. Jan 23 - KIDNAP Gunmen kidnapped two engineers and their driver on their way to work in Port Harcourt, authorities said. The engineers were from the UK and the US. The hostages were employed by Pivot G.I.S. A ransom demand of $13.8 million was said to have been made, according to in-country sources. According to a company source, the kidnappers also ordered the company to bring 10 cartons of Red Label, 10 cartons of Black Label and 500,000 naira (approximately $3,800) to ever start any physical interaction with them. They said we would meet them in the middle of a river, which they are yet to tell us, with the cartons of drink and the 500,000 naira to initiate the talks, a company source said. The British hostage was released on Feb 7 on health grounds. The American engineer and the Nigerian driver were freed on Feb 17. The terms of the release of the hostages are not known, but there are indications that a ransom has been paid.. 6. Jan 25 KIDNAP Kidnappers broke into the offices of the Chinese National Petroleum Company (CNPC), seizing hostages and cash. Nine Chinese workers were abducted. One assailant was killed during the attack. The militants entered the CNPC facility at Sagbama in Bayelsa State at about 6 a.m. from the Forcados River in two boats. While one team invaded the expatriates' living quarters, where the Chinese nationals were rounded up, the other attacked the accounts department of the company where the January salaries of the workers were carted away. The nine hostages were released on Feb 3. Nigerian officials said that no ransom had been paid. 7. Jan 27 MURDER A Belgian businessman was shot dead in Warri. His Nigerian girlfriend and driver were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the murder. They hired two hit-men to carry out the murder, according to the regional police commissioner. 8. Feb 6 KIDNAP One Philippine kidnapped near Owerri airport, Imo State. Gunmen blocked the road with a van and shot dead a policeman who attempted to stop the kidnap. The gunmen then sped off with the hostage. The kidnap may be a business related vendetta, according to local sources. No ransom demand has been recorded. The hostage was released on March 7. 9. Feb 7 KIDNAP One Philippine woman was reported abducted in Port Harcourt. According to local sources, the woman had just withdrawn a substantial amount of cash from a bank prior to her abduction. An unconfirmed statement from the kidnappers claims the woman fell overboard from their vessel when brought into the creeks. In mid-March it turned out that the Philippine woman had been in the Philippines since February 10. There are conflicting reports as to what had happened. The woman is currently under investigation by the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation. 10. Feb 7 KIDNAP One Frenchman was kidnapped as he returned to his home in Port Harcourt. The 59-year old engineer is married to a Nigerian woman and contracted to Total. He was waiting for the gate to be opened when unknown persons swooped on him and took him hostage, according to a local security source. No ransom demand has been recorded. The hostage was released on March 16.
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11. Feb 18 KIDNAP Two Croatian and one Montenegrin oil workers employed by Hydrodive were kidnapped by gunmen from a small bush bar in Port Harcourt. They were taking a drink in a bar outside the base when militants stormed the area and took them away, an oil industry security source said. According to local international sources, it is not advisable to visit establishments of this sort outside a secure base. The hostages were rescued by a military operation in the early hours of March 12, according to an oil industry source. 12. Feb 23 ASSAULT/MURDER Unidentified gunmen opened fire on two Lebanese workers in Port Harcourt, killing one on Friday, police and industry sources said. This attack may be linked to the escape of the Lebanese hostage on Feb 21. (See kidnap 7 Dec., incident no. 26, 2006. Link at the end of this report.) 13. Feb 23 KIDNAP Two Italian employees of Italian construction group Impregilo were abducted from the companys offices 40 km (25 miles) from Port Harcourt. The hostages were released on Feb 26. The kidnapping led to a call from the Italian foreign ministry to all Italian companies operating in the Niger Delta to withdraw expatriate staff. 14. Feb 28 KIDNAP One Lebanese construction worker employed by Arlen Construction Company was kidnapped by gunmen near Mbiana in Rivers State. The man was driving towards Port Harcourt when he was abducted. He was released on March 3. It seems the kidnappers lost interest in the hostage after they realised he was not an oil worker. 15. Mar 18 KIDNAP Two Chinese and one Nigerian working for a local company were kidnapped in the industrial town of Nnewi, Anambra State. They were kidnapped from a motorcycle assembly plant when four armed men entered the premises and shot into the air. They took the men into their 4X4 vehicle and sped off. This is the first time internationals have been kidnapped outside the oil heartland of the Niger Delta. Police blamed the Movement for the Actualisation of a Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) for the kidnap. MASSOB denied involvement in the kidnap and speculated that the kidnappers were ransom-seekers encouraged by the kidnapping of foreigners in the southern delta. COMMENT: This was not an oil-related abduction, reportedly the first of its kind. It indicates an increased risk also to internationals working outside the petroleum sector and main oil producing states. END COMMENT. Update 4 June: Eric Niu, one of the two Chinese, was rescued on June 3. A Nigerian military unit rescued the abductee after a gun battle with people suspected to be members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). Niu was rescued from a thick forest somewhere in Ebonyi State. It was a very difficult job but we are trained for it. It was tough, in fact, we stormed the hideouts of the militants following a tip-off before he was rescued, said the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division, Col. H.M. Hussani. Update Oct 10: Information from diplomatic sources indicate the second man was released some time ago.
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16. Mar 23 KIDNAP A Dutch security manager with the German company Bilfinger & Berger was kidnapped from the companys construction yard at the waterfront in Port Harcourt. The attackers arrived in three vessels and engaged guards in a prolonged shoot-out. The security manager was kidnapped when he went to investigate what was happening. He was released on April 4 together with the British national abducted on March 30. COMMENT: Reportedly, the two men were brought to and held together at the same location in or near Yenagoa, even though they were taken at different locations. This indicates a co-ordination capability by their kidnappers. Se also incident no. 18. END COMMENT. 17. Mar 23 KIDNAP Unidentified gunmen took two foreign staff of Nigerian construction firm Setraco from their workplace outside Ughelli near Warri. The hostages included a Lebanese national and an Indian, according to a company source. They were released on March 25 as the waterways were blocked with no opportunity to move the hostages further into the creeks, according to a military source. According to local reports, the kidnappers were local opportunists. No ransom was paid, according to the same source. 18. Mar 30 KIDNAP Gunmen in two speedboats abducted a British oil worker in a pre-dawn (02:30 am) raid on the Bulford Dolphin drilling rig 40 miles off the coast of Bayelsa state. The gunmen first targeted a support vessel moored to the rig, overpowered the crew, then climbed on to the rig and seized the Briton, a security expert working for a Western oil major said. The security expert said the kidnappers came from a coastal community in the Niger Delta that has had disputes with the operators of the rig in the past. Bulford Dophin was also attacked on June 2, 2006 when six Britons, one American and a Canadian were kidnapped and released two days later. (See incident no. 9, 2006) A dispute with a local community was also then given as the reason for the attack on the rig. MEND has denied any involvement in the raid. The Bulford Dolphin semisub is owned by the Norwegian oilfield services group Fred Olsen Energy ASA and leased to Nigerian firm Peak Petroleum, which operates it in partnership with Equator Exploration. Bulford was test drilling on Bilabri field on Oil Mining Lease (OML) 122, which is located 25-60 kilometres offshore, east of Shell's giant Bonga Field. The hostage, a Scot, was released on April 4 along with the Dutch security manager who was abducted on March 23.
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19. Apr 2 KIDNAP Two Lebanese construction workers were kidnapped from a bridge construction site near Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital. The two workers, employed by Setraco, were kidnapped at 7 am. The attack on the Setraco yard was well planned and executed. The gunmen managed to overpower a Nigerian Joint Task Force unit of 40 men who were responsible for guarding the facility, according to in-country sources. The pair were taken after a prolonged gun battle. . The victims were released on April 4. No ransom was paid, according to a government spokesperson. 20. Apr 6 KIDNAP Two Turkish men were seized while driving through the city of Port Harcourt near the Presidential hotel. "They were intercepted by militants when they were driving late yesterday evening," said local police commissioner Felix Ogbaudu on April 7. The men worked for Merpa, a Turkish firm that maintains telecoms equipment on one of the oil platforms of Italian firm Agip in the delta. Apparently, the kidnappers were dressed in police uniforms and ordered the Turks out of their vehicle before abducting them. A ransom demand was put forward, but it is uncertain whether any ransom was paid. The men were released on Apr 21. 21. Apr 16 KIDNAP Two Indian nationals were kidnapped from their residential compound in Aladja, near Warri, Delta State. They were employed by Delta Steel Co. $250,000 was paid in ransom to secure the release of the hostages, according to the Times of India. The men were released on April 22. 22. May 1 KIDNAP Six international oil workers were kidnapped in the early hours from the Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel Oloibiri. Four Italians, one American and one Croatian, all employees of Chevron Nigeria Ltd., were seized at 05:00 when militants forced their way aboard the FSO. The militants shot one navy personnel and compelled the crew to throw a rope down to give them access by using dynamite, a security source said. The Oloibiri was situated near Pennington River, Bayelsa State. MEND has taken responsibility for the abduction. The hostages were released on June 2. MEND declared a one month suspension of hostilities to allow the government to come up with a plan for lasting peace in the Niger Delta. 23. May 2 KIDNAP Six internationals were kidnapped from the Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel Mystras at 20:00. Two internationals were abducted from the nearby Seabulk Gannet 11 in the same action. The Mystras and the Gannet are situated 40 kilometres offshore Bonny. The eight abductees were released in the afternoon the next day. According to Jomo Gbomo, claiming to be the leader of MEND, the oil workers were released because MEND had enough hostages. The 50,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) Okono/Okpoho oilfield declared a force majeure on May 4
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after the abduction, a ship agent said. The force majeure, a legal move that absolves the operator of contractual obligations to export oil, will affect a tanker that was due to berth at the field on May 4, GAC shipping agents said in a daily note. Saipem and SBM Offshore are operators of the field. 24. May 2 KIDNAP An unemployed Dutch oil worker was abducted from a bar called Floras in Warri while he was watching a football game on TV. The Dutchman was kidnapped by 12 armed men from the Ijaw ethnic group. The action was probably community related, according to local sources. MEND has denied any involvement. The hostage was released sometime between June 11 and 15. He was reported to be back in Holland, no details of his release or whether a ransom was paid is known. 25. May 3 KIDNAP Eight Filipinos, three South Koreans and a Nigerian employee were abducted early Thursday from Afam power station, about 20 miles northeast of Port Harcourt. The abduction occurred after a 40 minute firefight. The three South Koreans were managers who had just arrived in country, according to a spokesman from Daewoo. The kidnappers were apparently seeking out the three South Koreans as they went directly to their rooms. This may indicate inside involvement in the kidnap. After this action, Daewoo decided to pull 200 employees out of Nigeria. MEND denied involvement. The eleven hostages were released in exhausted but stable condition at 17:00 on May 8. The release followed an agreement between the militants and officials of Nigeria's Rivers State, according to a Daewoo source. As there were no demands made directly to Daewoo, the source could not say whether a ransom was paid. 26. MAY 5 KIDNAP Gunmen abducted a British oil worker from a U.S.-owned drilling rig off Nigeria's coast, triggering a security alert at a nearby oil export terminal. The Briton was taken from the Trident VIII jackup rig operated by U.S.-based Transocean off the coast of the state of Bayelsa. The rig was attacked at about 06:15 by three boats with 12 attackers each. The Trident VIII was on lock down mode with only a few men on board. The attack also triggered a security lockdown at the nearby Brass crude oil export terminal, operated by Italian oil company Agip. Security sources at first reported two foreign workers abducted from the rig and that the Brass terminal was also attacked, but later said the second missing person had resurfaced after hiding in his cabin and that the Brass terminal had not been directly attacked. UPDATE SEPTEMBER 04: The hostage was released at an undisclosed date. No further details known. 27. MAY 5 KIDNAP Unknown gunmen kidnapped a Belarusian catering contractor in Port Harcourt, security sources said on May 6. The woman, who is a senior executive with Whassan Eurest Nigeria Limited, was abducted at about 20:00 in the exclusive GRA district of the city. Western news agencies
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first reported that gunmen had kidnapped a Russian woman who worked for a local oil company but this was later denied by the Russian Embassy in Abudja. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry confirmed on May 6 that a Belarusian national had been kidnapped in Nigeria. The employer of the kidnap victim had announced earlier in the week that it was closing down its office in Port Harcourt and moving to Lagos. The kidnapping may be related to this development. According to an official at the Russian embassy, which is handling the case on behalf of Belarus, a ransom demand of $1.2 million was put forward by the kidnappers. The woman was released on May 17. It seems a ransom was paid, according to a Russian embassy official. The Belarussian hostage had a gunshot wound in the leg received at the time of the kidnapping. 28(a,b,c). MAY 8 PIPELINE BOMB Three oil pipelines were bombed in what seems to be a coordinated attack at 01:00 in Bayelsa State. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a militant group, has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Two of the pipelines are located within Akassa municipality and the third in Brass. All three locations lie near one of the deltas main crude export terminals. ENI confirms that Ogoda-Brass and Tebidaba-Brass pipelines have been sabotaged. Production from Akri and Oshi fields has been suspended as a precautionary measure. This represents a cut in output by 98,000 barrels per day (bpd). MEND says in an email in connection with these actions: We will continue indefinitely with attacks on all pipelines, platforms and support vessels. On May 7, MEND threatened it would carry out attacks targeting oil pipelines in order to cripple the Nigerian crude oil export industry. We intend to destroy between now and May 29 more pipes than we have destroyed in the last one year, MEND leader Jomo Gbomo said in an email to Reuters. May 29 was the date when President Obasanjo handed over power to President-elect president Musa YarAdua, and when newly elected state governors took office. MEND has previously declared war on the election outcome due to fraud and election rigging. (See our May monthly report for background.) 29. MAY 8 KIDNAP Four oil workers were kidnapped off the pipe laying barge Global Cheyenne at 23:00. The four hostages are US citizens. The attack was carried out by heavily armed men in speed boats. Preliminary reports said that security personnel were injured in the attack. The Global Cheyenne is owned by Global Industries. The barge was subcontracted to Chevron and located at the Okan field 10 km off Escravos. The Global Cheyenne was later moved further offshore. An Ijaw group identified as Egbema One (aka Niger Delta Freedom Fighters) in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State claimed responsibility for the abduction on May 15. The abduction seems to be community related. The kidnappers complained that Chevron and Shell were marginalizing Ijaws when it came to employment opportunities. The kidnappers also accused the Federal Government and the state authorities of under-developing the Egbema Kingdom. The four hostages were released on May
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30. One of the released hostages said in a comment that they had been kept in filthy surroundings and had no access to clean drinking water. COMMENT: Jomo Gbomo, a MEND leader, accused the kidnappers of acting on behalf of crooked politicians. MEND allegedly attacked the hideout of Egbema One on May 27 in order to secure the release of the four hostages, according to local press reports. MEND took five Egbema One militiamen hostage in the action but did not succeed in freeing the four American hostages. A local press report said that Egbema One had demanded the equivalent of $3.8 million for the hostages. This was denied by an Egbema One leader who said that they wanted development of their land and that Chevron should sign an agreement in that regard. Such rivalries between armed groups further complicate the situation in the Delta and represent an increased risk to hostages. END COMMENT. 30. MAY 9 ARMED ROBBERY The anchor handling vessel Walvis 6 was boarded by armed men. The crew was robbed, after which the armed men left the ship. The vessel belongs to Walvis (Nigeria) Ltd which is part of the Sea Trucks Group. The Walvis 6 was subcontracted to Chevron at the time of the attack and operated on the Meren field. It was previously reported that one person, nationality unknown, was missing after the attack according to security officials. He was later found hiding. Chevron announced on May 11 that the company was evacuating hundreds of non-essential staff from its offshore installations due to security concerns. This would not further affect Chevrons production in Nigeria, according to a Chevron spokesman. 31. MAY 19 KIDNAP Two Indian citizens were kidnapped at 04:30 in Elelenwo, Port Harcourt. The two men were employed by the Indonesian firm Indorama, the majority owner of the Eleme Petrochemical Plant. The kidnappers, armed with machine guns, set off dynamite against the entrance to a block of flats where the abductees lived. The militants had initially taken 10 workers from the residence but soldiers engaged them in a gunfight and rescued the others. The hostages were released together with the nine foreign oil workers kidnapped on May 25 (see Incident 34). Security sources say that a ransom was paid to secure the release of the two Indians, but Indorama claimed that no ransom was paid. 32. MAY 22 KIDNAP One Lebanese citizen was kidnapped in Warri at approximately 07:30. The hostage was the financial controller of the construction company NigerCat. The gunmen snatched the man from a construction compound at the Enerhen junction in the city of Warri about an hour after sunrise, leaving behind their car and one weapon before fleeing in their abductee's vehicle, according to a military official. The hostage was released on May 28. It is not known whether a ransom was paid. 33. MAY 24 KIDNAP Gunmen grabbed a Polish worker heading to his construction project in Warri, Delta State and rushed the captive into swamps and creeks in a speedboat, officials said. The man was grabbed on his way to work on Thursday, said Brig. Gen. Lawrence Ngubane, a military commander in
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the region. Six gunmen seized the Polish man, who is the chief engineer for a dredging company, at Orugbo Creek near Warri port, security experts working for oil companies said. The hostage was released on May 28. It is not known whether a ransom was paid in order to secure the release of the hostage. 34. MAY 25 KIDNAP Gunmen kidnapped six foreign oil workers from a pipe-laying vessel off the coast of Bayelsa Friday morning. Three more were taken from a tug boat accompanying the vessel. There have been conflicting reports with regard to the nationality of the abducted oil workers. Three Americans, four Britons, one South African and one Filipino (or Indian) were abducted along with a Nigerian colleague, according to security sources and the press. Shots were fired during the abduction as suspected militants attacked in two speed boats. The raid occurred between 0330 and 0700 hrs (reports vary) in deep water off the coastal town of Sangana (Nun River estuary) where the men worked on the pipe-laying barge LB-300, reportedly belonging to Transcoastal LTD. The vessel is contracted to Nigerian oil company Conoil. COMMENT: MEND spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, in an e-mail to Nigerias Saturday Vanguard newspaper, denied involvement. The abductions, however, followed renewed statements by MEND, a militant group, that they will cause mayhem until the end of the month when they will declare a temporary cease-fire. The raid took place roughly in the same area where the jack-up rig Trident VIII was attacked on May 5, when a British citizen was kidnapped. The Briton is still being held by his captors. END COMMENT The hostages were released by a MEND splinter group on June 11. According to the kidnappers, the hostages were released on humanitarian grounds. The South African hostage said that the first three days of the kidnapping were hell. The kidnappers were high on gin and marihuana and the hostages were subjected to mock executions. The new Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, arranged to have the hostages picked up by helicopter. 35. JUNE 1 KIDNAP UPDATED Gunmen blasted their way into a residential compound in Port Harcourt to snatch three top managers working for Indorama LTD, locally referred to as Eleme Petrochemical Company. According to well-informed sources, a total of 10 internationals were abducted in this raid; six men, two women and two children. Nationalities unconfirmed, but most likely Indians. The attackers were armed with machine guns and explosives, said police commissioner Felix Ogbaudu. The unknown gunmen hit the same housing estate (Akpajo Housing Estate) from where several Indian nationals were taken last month, said Police spokeswoman Irejua Barasua. (Ref. incident no. 31, May 19.) No one has claimed responsibility for this latest kidnapping, the second to hit the company in less than two weeks. Thousands of Indorama workers used trucks and vans to blockade a major road leading out of the Rivers state capital Port Harcourt to protest against the abductions. "We cannot continue to tolerate this nonsense," said Kris Natty, chairman of the Indorama workers' union. COMMENT: This appears to be purely a criminal act of kidnap-for-ransom as the Movement for the
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Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) (or at least MEND factions) and other politically motivated militant groups, such as the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), have declared a temporary cease fire in expectance of government initiatives to improve local living conditions. Monday June 4 convenes the first Niger Delta Summit which will consider all ideas and initiatives, including the Niger Delta Master Plan, with a view to finding an enduring solution to the crisis in the region. END COMMENT UPDATE JUNE 17: The hostages were released on June 16. There are indications that a ransom was paid. However, a security official with an oil company in the region said the captors freed them in response to the June 14 release on bail of former militia leader Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, who arrived back in Port Harcourt on June 16. UPDATE JUNE 21: One of the hostages told media upon his return to India that they had been treated well by the kidnappers. They were fed three times a day and had the opportunity to request whatever kind of food they wished. They were given mattresses to sleep on and were even kept posted on the status of the negotiations between the kidnappers and Indorama. This is quite a different story from what other hostages have told after being released recently. Other hostages have been subject to mock executions, physical and mental abuse. 36. JUNE 1 - KIDNAP Eight men dressed as Mobile Police (MoPol) stormed the Schlumberger Anadril residential compound located near Rumuogba Estate, Port Harcourt. They claimed to be looking for a colleague. They kidnapped four Schlumberger employees. The abductees are Dutch, French, British and Pakistani nationals. The kidnappers were able to enter and leave the compound without firing a shot. The uniforms of the MoPol are simple in appearance and easily duplicated, according to Rivers State Police Commissioner Felix Ogbaudu. Ogbaudu pointed out that the abductors should not be presumed to be security forces. Umbrella militant body for most of the armed groups in the Niger Delta, the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), has warned that the hostages would not be released unless their leader, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo is unconditionally set free. JRC spokesperson Cynthia Whyte said in an email message that the hostages would not be released until our request for the unconditional release of our patriotic and esteemed leader is granted. JRC said it would not consider any ransom for the four hostages. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said after the release of Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari on June 15 that they would now consider the release of the four Schlumberger hostages. UPDATE JUNE 25: The hostages were released on June 23. The hostages said they had not been treated well, they looked frail and unwell and were rushed to an undisclosed hospital. The Movement for the Niger Delta People (MONDP) has claimed responsibility for the abduction. 37. JUNE 3 KIDNAP Six Russian workers were kidnapped by armed men in the town of Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State, 70 km south-east of Port Harcourt at 04:00. The Russians were working for the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON), which is controlled by Russia's United Company
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RUSAL. The attackers used explosives to blast their way into the apartment building where the Russians were staying. The abductees were taken away in two minivans. A driver employed by ALSCON was shot and killed during the action. "We are very worried by events happening in Nigeria," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mikhail Kamynin was quoted by the RIA news agency as saying. The kidnapping was most likely carried out for a ransom, according to the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, Igor Melikhov. UPDATE AUG 8: The six Russian hostages, which included one woman, were released on August 7 after 64 days of captivity. No details of the release are known. 38. JUNE 3 KIDNAP Two Filipinos were kidnapped at Onne Port, between Port Harcourt and Bonny Island export terminal. The two Filipinos worked as seamen for West Africa Offshore Ltd. They were reportedly in a bar in Onne Port when they were kidnapped. Nigerian police freed the two men four hours later at Elelenwo waterfront on the outskirts of Port Harcourt. 39. JUNE 08 KIDNAP Gunmen kidnapped a Lebanese manager in the Nigerian city of Port Harcourt at 19:25, a security source said. Police confirmed the abduction of a manager from Modant Marine, a shipyard services company. The abduction occurred near the College of Education on Iwofe Rd, Rumoulumeni. The Lebanese was taken from his white Toyota Land Cruiser with his driver. Several kidnappings have been carried out in this particular area, which is near a waterway and quick get-away for kidnappers. UPDATE JUL 20: Hostage was released on June 20. No details on the circumstances of the release are known. 40. JUNE 14 KIDNAP A Polish national working for Atlantic Dredging was kidnapped by armed men at 17:00 at Kaiama in Bayelsa State. Gunmen in a double engine Yamaha 150 horsepower speedboat stormed the company site situated some distance away from the Nun River. The invaders were said to have shot their way into the company premises and over-powered security guards. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) denied involvement. Jomo Gbomo, a MEND leader, said in an email message to the press: We were not involved in that abduction. You know most of the abductions in the Delta these days are carried out by criminals pretending to be fighting our cause. If the government gives us what the people of the Delta demand, we will chase out all these criminals who are giving the struggle a bad name. Update Oct 10: Information from diplomatic sources indicates these men were released some time ago. 41. JUNE 15 KIDNAP Gunmen kidnapped two Lebanese construction workers on Friday, a military spokesman said. The two men, who work for Italian firm Stabilini, were snatched in Delta state in the western part of the anarchic wetlands region. The kidnappers took them away by speedboat, he said. "Our troops are pursuing them into the creeks now," said Omale Ochagwuba, spokesman for the Joint Task Force responsible for security in the area. Stabilini is building a hospital at Ogara in Delta state and the men were on their way there when they were snatched, he said. COMMENT: Oil industry
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security sources said on June 15 that they had heard three Chinese had been kidnapped, and they named the same area. This has not been confirmed by authorities, nor have we been able to find information that corroborates kidnap of Chinese citizens. It is unclear if initial reports had the same incident reported differently, or if indeed Chinese workers have been taken in a separate raid. END COMMENT Update Oct 10: Information from diplomatic sources indicate this man was released some time ago. 42. JUNE 15 KIDNAP Two Indians working for J.K. Industries were kidnapped in the morning at Sapele in Delta State. The expatriates were said to be inside a bus when they were kidnapped by armed youths and whisked to the Sapele waterside where they were taken away in a speed boat. The Joint Task Force (JTF) later intervened and rounded up three militants suspected of having taken part in the attack, but was unsuccessful in rescuing the hostages, according to Nigerian press. COMMENT: J.K. Industries produces hairdressing/beauty care implements and is not associated with the oil industry. The attack strongly suggests that most kidnappings now are crime driven, not politically motivated. All foreigners, regardless of nationality and industry association, are exposed to a steadily increasing risk of falling victims to kidnap-for-ransom. See also Incident no. 41. END COMMENT The hostages were released on June 25. Security sources say that it was clear early on that the kidnappers were financially motivated. They asked for mobile phone recharge cards and were allegedly willing to release the hostages as early as June 18 as long as they made some money from the kidnap. 43. JUNE 17 ASSAULT Gunmen overran Eni/Agips oilfield flow station and held 27 local workers hostage. The militants invaded the Ogbainbiri facility in Bayelsa state after a gunfight with soldiers guarding it. The attack was apparently in response to the killing of eight people by government security forces guarding the facility last week, according to security sources. The tension in the area has been rising since suspected militants were killed by men of the Nigerian Joint Task Force (JTF) on June 13. The JTF is charged with protecting the oil industry in the region. Jomo Gbomo, a leader of the MEND militant network, said in conjunction with the killings that: Those were unarmed civilians murdered by the military. These deaths will not go unpunished. We will however give the Nigerian government the opportunity to deliver justice to the families of the dead. If that does not come quickly, we will surely act to avenge the deaths of our murdered brothers. MEND declared a unilateral cease fire earlier this month and has denied direct involvement in the assault, stating it was community related. COMMENT: There has been a history of conflict between Eni and the local community for some time. The same facility was attacked on July 25 last year when then there were conflicting reports as to the reasons for the attack. Some sources said the flow station was attacked after the oil firm declined to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the local community, but Upstream, a newspaper, reported that Eni could have been targeted as the company had refused to clean up an oil spill. END
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COMMENT In a similar incident the same day, 20 armed men invaded the nearby Chevron operated Abiteye flow station, causing Chevron to cut output by 42,000 barrels per day (bpd). The gunmen left Abiteye flow station later the same day. The action was said to be the result of a delay in compensation for an oil spill in the area. UPDATE JUNE 21: Nigerian troops killed 12 suspected militants and freed an unspecified number of hostages in a dawn raid on an Italian-operated oil facility in the Niger Delta on Thursday, the army said. Italian oil giant Eni had said 16 Nigerian oil workers and 11 soldiers were being held hostage at the Ogbainbiri flow station since Sunday, but the army said they found only 11 oil workers there. The reason for the discrepancy in number of hostages is not clear at present. UPDATE JUNE 26: One Agip employee was shot and killed by gunmen suspected to be militants close to Omoku in the Ogba-Elema LGA, River State, approximately 80 km NW of Port Harcourt. Sources say there are no international Agip employees in this area; the victim was most likely Nigerian. Cynthia Whyte, spokesperson of the Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC), threatened on June 24 that there would be a reprisal attack against Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC). Whyte said the reprisal attack would not interfere with JRCs earlier promise to cease hostilities against the Nigerian State and its interests following the release of their leader, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo. 44. JUN 22 ASSAULT Three gunmen boarded a tanker in the early hours at Pennington Export Terminal/Oloibiri and proceeded to shoot up the vessel. No injuries to the crew reported as they succeeded in going into lock-down mode. The tanker, the 159,000-dwt Cape Brindisi, owned by German KG House Knig, was boarded by three armed men wielding AK47s. They fired into the air and then shot up the vessel. After the crew went into lock-down mode, the gunmen left the ship. The militants had reportedly also commandeered a tug attending the Cape Brindisi and apparently took control of the Pennington offshore terminal, a ChevronTexaco facility where the Cape Brindisi had been loading. COMMENT: Rebels have previously taken control of offshore platforms, FPSOs, FSOs and supply vessels, but this is believed to be the first instance in which they have boarded a tanker. The Pennington/Oloibiri FSO satellite lies to the northeast of Pennington proper and closer to land, which makes it more vulnerable to attacks. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) attacked Oloibiri on May 1, 2007. They then said in a press statement that attack was intended to embarrass the outgoing regime, and as a warning to the incoming government not to loose sight of their seriousness. Ref. map and Incident
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no. 22, 2007. MEND has since declared a ceasefire, which does not seem to hold as criminal groups blatantly disregard the order. END COMMENT 45. JUN 30 KIDNAP Unknown gunmen kidnapped a Syrian national in Port Harcourt. He was reportedly taken around 19:00 hrs on the Evo crescent/Tombia Road intersection close to Le Meridien hotel. The identity of the victim has not been established but sources said he was an employee of a Nigerian construction company. No group has yet made claim for the abduction or made demand for ransom. Unrelated to this incident, the Nigerian Punch newspaper reported on July 1 that Chevronworkers had been kidnapped by militants at Okerenkoko, Warri South on June 28. The abduction was supposedly done as a protest over Vice President Jonathan failing to call on a local community during his visit to the area last week. This has not been confirmed by other sources. We have no further details. UPDATE AUG 13 Hostage died on Aug 12. He suffered from hypertension and did not receive medical attention while in captivity. 46. JULY 4 KIDNAP Gunmen attacked a Royal Dutch Shell oil rig (Rig 75) at approximately 04:00 hrs and kidnapped five expatriates at Soku in Rivers state, according to police and security sources. This came as the rebel Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a militant network, called off a one-month truce the day before. Jomo Gbomo, a MEND spokesman, however, said the group was not involved in the overnight raid on Shell rig. "Early this morning there was an attack on a Shell facility at Soku. Armed men came in several boats, opened fire on security guards and abducted five expatriates," said an oil industry source in the regional capital Port Harcourt. Industry sources said those kidnapped were two New Zealanders, one Australian, one Venezuelan and one Lebanese and they gave a list of names. A Shell New Zealand spokeswoman said the five kidnapped men were employed by American oil drilling company Lone Star and working under contract for Shell in Nigeria. MEND had declared a truce until July 3 and had previously said that when that expired, it would assess efforts by the new government to resolve the crisis in the Niger Delta and decide whether to extend the truce or not. In response to a question on whether MEND would declare a new truce, Mr Gbomo replied, "We may at some point if we have reason to". Soku is an island in the coastal area of Rivers state where Shell has several oil rigs and a gas gathering plant. UPDATE July 12: The hostages were released on July 11. According to the New Zealand High Commissioner for Nigeria, the kidnap was financially motivated. 47. JULY 5 KIDNAP The three-year-old daughter of a British expatriate worker was kidnapped by gunmen in Port Harcourt. The toddler was seized from a car on her way to school in the early morning. The girl is the third child to be kidnapped by unknown gunmen in the area in the last couple of weeks, the two first being the children of wealthy Nigerians. The incident happened in the Ada George area of Nigerias oil capital. The kidnappers smashed the glass to reach the child. The driver was stabbed in
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the arm while trying to protect her COMMENT: The abduction comes two days after MEND and other militants ended their month-long cease fire to allow President YarAduas government time to negotiate. The abduction should not, however, be seen as a result of any political struggle. There are a plethora of armed gangs which operate in the Niger Delta, and kidnap for ransom has become big business. Sources say that Dokubo-Asari, a senior Delta militant leader, was furious because of this incident as it destroys the image and substance of his political struggle. END COMMENT. UPDATE July 7: The childs kidnappers offered to exchange her for her father. Although he agreed, a local police commander forbade him to do so. The kidnappers, who had threatened to kill the child, then put forward a demand for ransom. The British worker is an employee of Lone Star Drilling which was hit on July 4, when five of their expatriate employees were abducted. (Ref. Incident no. 46.) Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the most prominent armed group in the region, vowed to find the perpetrators. "It is an abomination. We will search for the abductors and mete out suitable punishment at the appropriate time. As in all societies, there is crime in the delta. This is separate from our agitation and must not be confused with militancy, MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo said in a statement. UPDATE July 9: The child was released late evening on July 8. This particular kidnap united the country in condemnation of the act. It is likely that no ransom was paid, as the kidnappers may have realised that they had put their hand in a hornets nest. This criminal act against a minor was perpetrated by common thieves and even as they have released the child, I promise you their punishment is unspeakable, said Jomo Gbomo, a leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND). 48. JULY 8 KIDNAP Two international oil workers, a Briton and a Bulgarian, were kidnapped from an oil installation at 20:30 at the Cameroon border. The kidnap occurred on the Floating Production Facility (FPF) Agbani off the town of Calabar, Cross Rivers State. According to security sources, the attackers arrived at the installation in several (some reports claim 20!) speed boats. Four naval personnel were wounded in the action. FPF Agbani is operated by Moni Pulo Petroleum, a Nigerian company. Britain's Foreign Office has confirmed the abduction. COMMENT: This action occurred outside the immediate high-risk areas off the mouths of the Niger River. FPF Agbani is situated on the Abana (West) field (middle of map) located on Oil Mining Licence (OML) 114
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(formerly OPL 230) at the mouth of the Calabar River in shallow 5m water depth. The area is disputed as Cameroon claims part of the Abana field. END COMMENT Map source: www.rigzone.com UPDATE AUG 8: The men were released and handed over to their employers by the Rivers State government on August 8. Rivers State Governor Celestine Omehia said his administration would no longer treat hostage takers with kid gloves. According to the Rivers State Commissioner for Information, no ransom was paid for their release. 49. JULY 9 ASSAULT Nigerian security forces shot dead one attacker and arrested two others as they attempted to gain entrance to a Daewoo compound in Mbiama on the border between Bayelsa and Rivers states. The action occurred at 21:00 when militants began shooting sporadically to cause confusion so that they could have an easy access into the companys premises. The militants are suspected to have been on a kidnap raid, but were not successful as the security forces had been placed on red alert and engaged the attackers in a 90 minute gunfight. The two arrested attackers were taken into custody and were helping with the investigation, according to security officials. 50. JULY 20 MURDER A Lebanese self-employed carpenter was shot dead in Port Harcourt. The attackers locked up the security guard and entered the Lebanese victims residence. There they proceeded to rob the victim and then shoot him. One local security source says this incident may have been a failed kidnapping. 51. JULY 25 ARMED ROBBERY A US-based British professor and his security guard were shot and wounded in a robbery in Port Harcourt. Professor Michael Watts, who is an expert on oil-related violence in the Niger Delta, had been followed from a bank where he had withdrawn some money. Professor Watts was visiting the offices of National Point newspaper when at least six gunmen entered the premises. The gunmen, some of whom seemed to be under the influence of drugs, said: Wheres the white man? Wheres the money from the bank?, according to one witness. The professor was shot in the hand and the security guard was shot in the leg. The gunmen took $600 from the professor and two laptops from the newspaper offices. Michael Watts is a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. 52. JULY 31 KIDNAP Seven gunmen, dressed in red, kidnapped a Pakistani construction manager
25 km NE of Bonny Island during the morning hours. A ransom demand was later received by the hostages employer, Italian construction firm Gitto. The gunmen arrived by boat at a road construction near Bodo community in the Ogoni area of Rivers state, held everyone present at gunpoint before taking off with the Pakistani hostage. The road under construction crosses several creeks and rivers. This particular area has been plagued by deadly fights between two rival cults, or youth gangs. The gunmen's red clothes suggested they may be members of Deebam, one of the cults, according to local sources. UPDATE AUG 28: The Pakistani hostage was released on August 27. He was dropped off by
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his abductors and told to get to the nearest police station by okada (motorcycle taxi). He was then taken to his employers. A police spokesman said he was in good health. According to This Day, a Nigerian newspaper, a ransom was paid. The kidnapping apparently occurred after a protracted disagreement between the Italian company and communities where youth allegedly asked for N1 billion before they would allow the job to go on. 53. AUG 10 KIDNAP Gunmen seized a British manager from oil services firm HydroDive who was
on his way to work in Port Harcourt. He was taken in the Choba are of the city, along the NPA Road/Mgbuoba at about 07:00 am. No group has claimed responsibility for the abduction. Reports first indicated the victim was American but a normally well informed source says he is a UK national. COMMENT: Violence in the Delta has degenerated over time into an uncontrollable wave of abductions for ransom, armed robberies, turf wars between gangs over drugs and fighting connected to the trade in stolen crude, locally known as illegal bunkering. This week, the army deployed troops in Port Harcourt to try and restore order after a bloody street war between rival gangs killed at least 15 people. Politically motivated attacks on the oil industry have subsided since YarAdua, the new president, took office on May 29 promising negotiations and efforts to develop the delta, but the security forces have been unable to stop the crime wave. This is the second kidnap incident involving HydroDive this year. On February 18 two Croatian and one Montenegrin oil workers employed by the company were kidnapped by gunmen from a small bar in Port Harcourt. (Ref Incid. no 11/2007 in latest month report.) END COMMENT Update Oct 5: The HydroDive manager, David Ward, is freed by Nigerian troops. 54. Sep 1 MURDER A Dutch national was shot and killed on the evening of Saturday September 01 in front of his house in the GRA area in Port Harcourt. The Dutchman was supposed to have received $50,000 to import vehicles to Nigeria, but had not delivered, according to a note found on his body. The victim had been a businessman in Nigeria for 20 years and was also the owner of a pub, the Blues Caf, a popular establishment with the expat community in Port Harcourt. 55. SEP 27 KIDNAP/MURDER Gunmen killed a Colombian oil worker and abducted two other foreigners, believed to be a Filipino and another Colombian, in Port Harcourt. Armed men raided the construction yard of oil services company Saipem at Rumuluomeni at about 2:30 in the afternoon. "Some armed men came in boats, attacked Aka (Aker) base where you have Saipem. The attackers killed one person and abducted two," said police spokeswoman Ireju Barasua in Port Harcourt. About 10 gunmen, some dressed in military fatigues, exchanged fire with soldiers at the Saipem yard before escaping, private security contractors said. Italian oil giant Eni, which controls Saipem, said a Colombian man was wounded in the attack and died shortly after being taken to hospital. It said another Colombian and a Filipino were missing after the raid.
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The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), on September 23, threatened to launch attacks following the arrest of its spokesperson and self-styled leader Jomo Gbomo (a.k.a. Henry Okah) on September 3. The group has denied any involvement in the raid but said in an e-mail to Reuters Thursday it could have been prompted by the threat. The e-mail, sent in the name of Jomo Gbomo, said MEND were holding off on an attack pending the return to Nigeria of President Yar'Adua from the United Nations, expected on Friday. "We are expecting Yar'Adua to call his over-enthusiastic security agencies to order and use diplomatic channels to close this matter and let sleeping dogs to lie," he told Reuters with regards to Okah's arrest. The Federal government (FG) has again assured oil companies operating in the Niger Delta of governments readiness to protect their personnel and facilities in the region. Vice President Goodluck Jonathan gave his reassurance while receiving a delegation of Saipem management led by Pietro Varone, the companys executive vice president, at the presidential villa in Abuja, yesterday (Sep 27). COMMENT: Several groups have opted out of the ongoing dialogue with the FG. These, and criminal gangs, continue to operate regardless of peace talks. Saipem at Aker base was also hit on August 24 last year. An Italian oil worker employed by the firm was then kidnapped in a local bar, when his armed attackers also shot and killed a Nigerian army sergeant. MEND then stated they were not responsible for the action and called for the release of the Italian hostage on August 28, claiming the group would not accept such negative contributions that put the genuine agitation of the oppressed people in bad light. The hostage was released the next day. END COMMENT Update Oct 10: Colombian and the Filipino, were released on 9 October in good health after 12 days in captivity. They were handed over to government and SSS officials by their abductors at Abonnema Bridge, along Akukutoru LGA road. 56. OCT 20 KIDNAP Heavily armed gunmen in speedboats kidnapped seven workers, including
three foreigners, from an offshore Nigerian oilfield on Saturday night (Oct 20). "Seven people were kidnapped from a supply vessel to the EA field. They are four Nigerians and three expats," said Olav Ljosne, a spokesman for Royal Dutch Shell, which operates the offshore field. He confirmed that the three foreigners were a Briton, a Croat and a Russian. Security sources said the attackers armed with assault rifles came in up to 30 boats, engaged troops in a three-hour gunfight and made away with the support vessel on which the hostages had been working. Reuters received an e-mail from a person who said they were a member of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), a prominent militant group, claiming responsibility. It was not sent from a recognised e-mail account and it was not possible immediately to verify its authenticity. A reply sent from Jomo Gbomos e-mail address to Bergen Risk Solutions on Oct 21 states: MEND will release an official position on this
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incident later. Our minimum requirements to halt current attacks are the release of one of our sympathisers currently being held illegally in Angola and then the control of our natural resources. Unconfirmed reporting states that the MV HD Commander (HydroDive) was attacked at about 20.45 hrs in the evening. One civilian was injured and 3 expatriates abducted. 4 Nigerians were taken from nearby service boat Surfer 141 owned by Bourbon Interoil. One source says it seems to be community boys from Ezeotu, a community around the Shell EA field, but none of the information has been verified. The men were doing maintenance work on the FPSO Sea Eagle when they were attacked. The EA field was last attacked (by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND)) on January 10, 2006. The field had been evacuated since February 2006, when a series of attacks forced Shell to pull out of the western delta. EA was expected to resume production by the middle of next year. "This punctures the idea that things are coming back to normal," a government official said, asking not to be named. The attack is a setback for Shell's plan to resume production from the western Niger Delta. The company reduced output in the western delta by 477,000 barrels per day (bpd) after the attacks in February 2006 and had been working to recover most of the lost output by the middle of next year. COMMENT: The coast off Bayelsa state, where EA is located, has been relatively quiet since President YarAdua commenced peace talks with Delta rebel groups in June. (See map for incidents in the area.) The attack comes amid preparations for a Niger Delta Summit that is expected to result in a road map for peace and development of the region. However, several groups have opted out of the peace process either because they distrust the government peace initiative, because peace goals fall short of demands, or simply because they feel they have been left out of the ongoing process. Lastly, the plethora of criminal groups operating in the area is in total disregard of the entire negotiation process. Several politically motivated groups, including MEND, have made repeated threats that hostilities will resume. MEND has so far not commented on the attack but the group threatened on September 23 to resume attacks on oil facilities and to abduct foreign workers in response to the arrest of one of its leaders, Henry Okah, better known as Jomo Gbomo. One oil firm official confirms that there may be correlation between the arrest of Okah and yesterdays attack. Nigeria has asked Angola to send Okah to Nigeria to stand trial but the two countries have no extradition treaty. There are conflicting reports whether or not Okah is still in custody or back in South Africa, where he lives. Someone is still sending out e-mails in his name. Delta activists say the government has also been dragging its feet in the peace talks and offering incentives to militant negotiators instead of addressing their underlying grievances. "If the oil
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companies and the Nigerian government do not handle the situation well, they will bring out the beast in us," MEND said in a recent statement. This latest attack confirms that the security situation in the Niger Delta is extremely volatile and that the attacks can happen anywhere, any time. END COMMENT. Update Oct 23: The hostages were released to the Governor of Bayelsa State in the afternoon of October 22. The conditions of the release were unknown. Shell received no demand in conjunction with the kidnap, according to a company source. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility for the attack. An email to Bergen Risk Solutions sent from Jomo Gbomos e-mail address states: We hope that this warnings will cause the govt and oil majors to address the key issues at stake instead of the cosmetic remedy the are proposing. If things continue unchanged, we will, I fear, move on to desperate measures and that will bring out the beast in us. It is impossible to verify the senders true identity, or if MEND really are the perpetrators. Nor is it relevant. The action highlights the volatility of the security situation in the Delta. The abduction was led by Boy Louwe (or Love), a MEND field commander who have broken with the mainstream, according to an oil company source. The local communities near Shells EA field protested over the abduction of the foreign workers and want to see the field reopened. In a press release they said: We condemn MEND (a faceless body) that claimed responsibility on the Internet even though we know the camp that did the act. We are also warning MEND not to come close to our territory. [] We, the 12 EA host communities, are glad that the hostages have been released. 57. OCT 26 KIDNAP Gunmen kidnapped six workers from FPSO Mystras, an Italian oil
production facility off the coast of Nigeria on Friday, forcing ENI/Agip to halt
production of 50,000 barrels per day, authorities said. It was the second
kidnapping from an offshore oilfield in Nigeria in one week. (Ref Incid. No. 56) 7 attackers reportedly arrived in speedboats at 06:00 local time. The gunmen
overpowered an oil industry vessel shortly before dawn and used it to board the nearby Mystras oil production facility, operated by Saipem and SBM Offshore. "Attackers managed to climb aboard the FPSO Mystras and seized six workers, whose nationalities are Polish, Filipino and
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Nigerian," Saipem parent ENI said in a statement, adding another Nigerian worker is reported to have suffered a slight leg injury. The Mystras floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel pumps oil from the Okono Okpoho field. Industry sources said output had been stopped. The Nigerian Navy dispatched a vessel to the area, located about 20 miles (32 km) south of the Bonny Island oil and gas export complex, the sources added. COMMENT: The exact nationality mix of the abductees has not been confirmed. This is the third time the MYSTRAS has been hit in the last 11 months. On Nov 22 2006 ten armed men seized seven hostages; two Finns, a Briton, an Italian, a Filipino, a Pole and a Romanian. It was hit again on May 2 when six internationals were kidnapped. (Please refer to our Maritime Security Reviews for details on previous attacks.) No one has yet claimed responsibility for this latest attack. An oil company source stated that the replacement of Rivers State Governor Omehia (on Oct 25), does not contribute to a positive development in the area. However, we have no information indicating this action in any way was related to the sacking of Omehia. Political militancy as well as opportunist crime are still potent threats throughout the Delta. END COMMENT Update Oct 30: The oil workers, said to be four Indians and two Poles, were set free in the early hours. They were released to the Rivers State government. They were all in good health, according to ENIs homepage. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) took responsibility for the kidnap. The kidnap helped lift oil prices to $92 per barrel on October 26. MEND has resumed attacks against the oil industry to protest the arrest of one Henry Okah in Angola. Okah may be the same person as Jomo Gbomo, leader of MEND. According to MEND, Nigeria was behind the arrest of Okah in Angola. Okah was picked up on gun-running charges. Kingsley Kuku, secretary of a government committee negotiating with the rebels, told Reuters he feared the group was preparing for a major assault on the world's eighth largest oil exporter. "From what we are hearing, these are warning strikes. That is what they say. We are worried they are planning something bigger. The Nigerian presidency has said it wants Okah returned to Nigeria to face criminal charges. Nigeria has no extradition treaty with Angola. When Bergen Risk Solutions sent an email to Jomo Gbomos address asking why these hostages were released, the reply was: The nationals captured were considered low hostage value. They are as good as holding on to local oil workers. When next we go "fishing", perhaps our nets will catch something much bigger such as Americans and Western Europeans. 58. NOV 12 ASSAULT Eight boatloads of militants attacked the 400,000 barrels-per-day Qua
Iboe export terminal near Eket in Akwa Ibom State on Monday morning. We have unconfirmed reports of shooting all around the Eket area. Our response was to go into lockdown and for now operations are ongoing, ExxonMobil spokeswoman Gloria Essien said. No tanker was loading at the terminal at the time of the attack. According to local reports, the attack was stopped at 12:00 GMT. The shooting has
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stopped. There was no impact to our facilities or personnel, but I don't know about the security agencies who responded to the attack, Gloria Essien said. The Nigerian navy was said to be repelling the attacks. COMMENT (updated Nov 15): Akwa Ibom state has seen an increase in attacks recently, even though this is the first time Bergen Risk Solutions has registered an incident involving international interests in this part of the Niger Delta. MEND claimed responsibility for the attack in an email statement on Nov 15, as the state Governor recently boasted about acquiring 20 boats for security work and military leaders declared war on the Deltas militancy. The attack illustrates the volatility of the security situation in the area. The arrest of Henry Okah, a MEND leader, in Angola in September on gun-running charges and the removal of Governor Omehia in Rivers State in late October have increased the tensions. Whilst Okahs detention is related to the attacks, we have no indications that Omehias removal is. The crack-down by security forces in Port Harcourt and Rivers State since early August has resulted in fragmentation of militant groups in the area. One result of the security crackdown is the spread of the area of operations of criminal and militants groups. END COMMENT 59. NOV 15 PIPELINE BOMB Unknown attackers blew up a crude oil pipeline near Ogulagha
(Ogula) village at the Shell Forcados export terminal in Delta state on Thursday November 15. The attack forced Shell to reduce output by less than 50,000 barrels per day, according to Shell officials. Dynamite was used in the attack and a large volume of oil was spilled, according to a local industry source. One source stated It seems the culprits use a minor explosive. It wasn't a big explosion. Shell has been gradually bringing Forcados production back to speed after militant attacks in February 2006 and was producing approximately 70,000 barrels per day before this latest attack. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but activists said it was carried out in an area under the control of a prominent militia boss, Government Tompolo, who had been involved in peace talks with authorities. COMMENT: It would be premature to see also this in connection with the recent reemergence of MEND, although it is not unthinkable. Delta State is the groups home turf and where it all began in January last year. The western Delta state has been reasonably quiet since early June, when armed groups agreed to take part in negotiations with the government. Shell has been able to perform maintenance work on the terminal during its closure. Also, efforts by the local state government, such negotiations with rebel groups, peace and reconciliation commissions and the Delta Waterways Security Committee, have been moderately successful at curbing unrest. Until now, that is. There is growing impatience with the slow pace of the peace process, which is expected to be finalised with a Niger Delta Summit and a long term master plan for developing the region. Several militia leaders have throughout the negotiation process warned that they would not forever for results. The attack on Forcados may bee seen in this context.
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IMPLICATIONS: The attack again illustrates the extreme volatility of the security situation in the Niger Delta. Attacks can happen anytime, anywhere and firms operating here would be well advised to maintain high levels of security awareness and procedures. All the latest (recorded) serous security incidents (since Oct 20) have been conducted off shore, on waterways, or near the coastline. This suggests the attackers at present feel most confident using maritime hit-and-run tactics, which gives them an advantage over a slow moving Nigerian Navy and plentiful hiding places in the swamps. UPDATE Nov 16: The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) took responsibility for this attack in an e-mail statement to the local press. "A small commando unit of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) sabotaged a major pipeline feeding the Shell Forcados export terminal," spokesman Jomo Gbomo, wrote. "The extent of damage could not be ascertained after the operation. However, our strategy is to nibble continuously on the oil industry until they are crippled." UPDATE Nov 22: A previously unknown group, the Niger Delta Coastal Forces (NDCF), also claimed responsibility for this attack. According to a statement from NDCF Commander Amawei Cubral, the strike was a warning to the President Umar YarAdua that his ongoing military partnership with the United States to further destroy the Niger Delta people in the guise of fighting criminality would be resisted. Asserting that only implementation of the agreement of the Federal Government with the Ijaw can bring peace, the NDCF warned militant groups against utterances that would jeopardize the struggle for justice in the creeks of the Niger Delta. The group also frowned at the supposed reorganization plans of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), which it suspects to be a plot to scheme out Ijaws and Niger Deltans from the few sensitive positions they were occupying. We warn the Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities (FNDIC) and the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) not to be used by politicians to make silly utterances that will jeopardize the aims of the struggle. We advise FNDIC and MEND to respect other Ijaw sons and daughters in the struggle to achieve the overall purpose of the struggle. 60. NOV 27 ASSAULT Militants launched an attack at the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas
(NLNG) facility at Bonny Island in the early hours. Two policemen and a private guard were killed in the attack. The attack occurred at an access gate. The attackers did not gain access to the LNG facility. COMMENT: According to press reports, the attack occurred at the premises of Willbros, an oil services company. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. There are speculations that the attack may be related to a local dispute. 61. DEC 4 ARMED ROBBERY Militants in a speedboat attacked a crew boat on the Bonny River
near Onne in the morning. One crew member was shot and killed and one injured in the attack, both were Nigerian. The vessel was chartered by ExxonMobil. The attackers numbered seven or eight and were dressed in black. The crew initially thought the attackers were police due to their dark clothing,
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but tried to outrun the attackers when they realised the attackers intentions. After taking gunfire, the slower crew boat stopped and was boarded. The attackers demanded money and after ransacking the vessel took off with a laptop and VHF radios. COMMENT: This is the second attack on international assets in the general area in just over a week. Militants attacked at the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) facility at Bonny Island, farther south, in the early hours of November 27. (See incident no. 60.) Nigerian as well as international security sources have previously stated that the pressure on Bonny Channel has increased since Nigerian security forces commenced a security offensive in Port Harcourt early August, driving out criminal elements from the city into nearby areas. So far no group has come forward with a statement in conjunction with this latest attack, which reeks of piracy and opportunist crime rather that political or community action. Even though maritime piracy attacks (on local and international shipping) in the area dropped in November compared to October, Bonny Channel remains an area of significant risk. Since September 27 (incident no. 55 Saipem/Aker Base) virtually all attacks on international firms have occurred on or near water suggesting militants and criminals alike now prefer maritime hit and run tactics. Using fast craft they have the upper hand on a slow moving Nigerian Navy, securing a safe retreat to their hideouts in the mangrove swamps of the Delta. END COMMENT 62. DEC 10 ARMED ROBBERY The crew boat Lamnalco Falcon and the dive barge
Independence were boarded by armed assailants who stole laptops, wallets and other personal effects. No one was abducted nor injured. The attacks occurred in the early hours 20 nautical miles off Escravos export terminal. The two attacks were most likely carried out by the same group of attackers. 63. DEC 10 ASSAULT One Chevron chartered service vessel and one ExxonMobil chartered
service vessel were involved in an assault near buoy 53 on Bonny River in the afternoon. The Chevron chartered vessel, the Point Service, on its way to Onne Port was attacked first. No details of this attack are known at present. The ExxonMobil chartered vessel, the Simone K was on its way from Onne to the oil fields when it happened upon the attack on the Point Service. The attackers shot at the vessel which returned to port with no casualties. The Simone K is the sister vessel to the Seamark, which was attacked on December 4 (see Incident no. 61). COMMENT: The Joint Task Force (JTF) has been involved in raids at the Okirika community near Port Harcourt in the last few days in order to flush out pirates who operate on the Bonny River. Piracy activity on the river has lately increased. This may be as a result of the crack-down on militant activity in Port Harcourt in August, but may also follow an old pattern of increased criminal activity for financial gain before Christmas.
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64.
DEC 19 ASSAULT The NNPC Port Harcourt refinery jetty in the Okirika area was attacked by
armed men at 04:00. 18 Philippine sailors onboard a ship at the jetty were rescued, but their ship was reportedly set ablaze. According to one local report, the name of the ship is MT Hato. The attackers were armed with AK-47s, general purpose machine guns (GPMG), rocket propelled grenades (RPG 7) and dynamite. According to another source, a Nigerian woman and a policeman were also reported killed in the attack, the local government council building, five vehicles and a fire truck set ablaze. COMMENT: The attack was most likely retaliation for JTF raids on Okirika last week, when Nigerian security forces raided the home turf of militant leader Ateke Tom. Ateke is accused of being one of the main culprits behind the gang-fights in Port Harcourt last August. The JTF raided Okirika on December 10 through 12 destroying a couple of Ateke Toms houses and vehicles, in addition to confiscating cash and belongings. The gang leader protested this action saying the Government wanted him dead. He also claimed he was clean and not involved in illegal bunkering and kidnappings. A JTF spokesperson, responding to claims that Nigerian authorities had struck a deal, said the JTF was not aware of any peace agreement between Ateke Tom and the Government and that it had collected incriminating evidence during the raids. IMPLICATIONS: Attackers preference for maritime attacks continues. Since September 27 (Saipem/Aker Base) virtually all attacks on international firms have occurred on or near water suggesting militants and criminals alike now prefer maritime hit and run tactics. Using fast craft they have the upper hand on slow moving Nigerian naval forces, securing a safe retreat to their hideouts in the mangrove swamps of the Delta. Bonny River has been the area hardest hit by the recent wave of attacks. END COMMENT. 65. DEC 20 ARMED ROBBERY The security patrol boat Dolphin Flyer was attacked by armed
men at 02:00, 20 Nm northwest of Escravos. 10 armed men boarded the vessel from two zodiac type boats. The Dolphin Flyer is owned by Sea Trucks Group and is operating for Chevron as a security patrol vessel as well as accommodation for security personnel. At the time of the attack there were 30 personnel on board the Dolphin Flyer. The armed men took off with personal belongings and, according to one report, guns belonging to security personnel. No one was injured in the attack. A company source called the incident a minor attack. 66. DEC 26 ARMED ROBBERY The supply vessel Hondo River was attacked by five armed
men in a speed boat near buoy 39 close to Bonny Town. The Hondo River, owned by Trico Marine and working for ExxonMobile, was on its way from Onne when it was ordered to stop by the armed men. When the captain refused to stop, the armed men proceeded to shoot up the vessel with AK-47 assault rifles. Three of the crew members were injured, probably by ricochets, according to a company source. Four of the armed men boarded the Hondo River, searched crew quarters and stole TVs,
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refrigerators, mobile phones, DVD players, money and whatever that wasnt nailed down, according to a company source. The three injured crew members were taken to the ISOS clinic. The Hondo River will most likely remain in port for some time waiting for new windows to be shipped from the US to replace windows shot out by the attackers. COMMENT: This is the fifth attack on Bonny River in a month. Maritime piracy is on the increase. At the same time land based attacks on foreign interests are falling. Since September 27 (Saipem/Aker Base) virtually all attacks on international firms have occurred on or near water suggesting militants and criminals alike now prefer maritime hit and run tactics. Using fast craft they have the upper hand on slow moving Nigerian naval forces, securing a safe retreat to their hideouts in the mangrove swamps of the Delta. Bonny River has been the area hardest hit by the recent wave of attacks. END COMMENT 67. DEC 30 ASSAULT The crew boat Bourbon Interoil Surfer 254 was attacked at approximately
18.15 near Bonny. The vessel was on its way from Bonny Island to Port Harcourt. A speed boat with armed assailants came along side and demanded that the 70 passenger crew boat stop. The captain refused to obey and shots were fired on the portside of the vessel. The Captain was able to increase speed and evade the attackers. There are conflicting reports whether there were any casualties. One report says that one passenger was killed; another report says no one was hit. The Bourbon Interoil Surfer 254 escaped the attack. 68. DEC 30 ARMED ROBBERY A container vessel, reported to be the Maersk Vyborg, was
attacked in the evening by eight armed men while berthed at the West African Container Terminals (WACT) at Onne Port. The attackers arrived by speedboat and entered the vessel at the bow firing warning shots. They proceeded towards the accommodation area of the vessel and shot out windows nearly hitting escaping crew members. The crew hatched down the vessel and began broadcasting distress calls by VHF and sounding the ships horn. According to an expat sailor witness on another ship nearby, 45 minutes went by with repeated calls from the Maersk Vyborg and sounding of alarms, but no assistance from security forces arrived. The attackers were unsuccessful in entering the vessel and took off with a satellite TV dish and a couple of mobile telephones left on the deck by the crew. The attackers left the ship, no one was injured in the operation. After some time, an army detachment arrived and searched the vessel. The Maersk Vyborg is Turkish flagged and manned.
Multiple sources
***End of report***
38
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Security in the Niger Delta

Monthly Report January 2008

Map: 2007 Serious security incidents - as of January 1, 2008

Black numbers (61 - 68): December attacks

Full list of 2007 security incidents in chronological order on pages 13-38.

Mail received from MEND spokesman Jomo Gbomo

Nigerian oil delta rebels pull out of peace talks

Military in Air Strike Against Ateke Tom

Fighting rocks Nigerian oil city

Yar'Adua Denies Accepting U.S. Africa Command

The Coup Against Nuhu Ribadu

Summary by type of incident

Situation as at December 31, 2007

Perpetrators* MEND 2006 2007 10 10 OTHER GROUPS 21 60

Status as at December 31, 2007

Kidnap victims 2006 JAN Taken Released Deaths Still held

Kidnap victims 2007 JAN Taken Released Deaths Still held

Total 167 166 1 0

Serious Security Incidents 2007 in chronological order

This report is available by subscription only. Please contact sales@bergenrisksolutions.com

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