Nigeria Security Update #1 020707

Six Dead After Militants Clash in Port Harcourt (DPA, Xinhua)

Four people were killed in a clash took place on Saturday in Nkpor-Rumuolumeni near Port Harcourt, the capital city of Nigeria's southeastern Rivers State, local newspapers reported on Sunday.

Six people were killed in a clash between two militant cult groups Sunday in Port Harcourt, the River State capital in the Niger Delta.

The clash on Saturday, which forced hundreds of persons to flee their home, also caused millions of losses measured by local currency of naira, said the Guardian, a leading national newspaper of the country, in its publication reaching here on Sunday.

Residents of the area were quoted by the newspaper as saying that about 30 young men invaded the community at about 01:30 local time (00:30 GMT) on Saturday and destroyed some houses and valuable properties.

The invaders used dynamites during their attack, some eye witness said.

According to the newspaper, Saturday's attack could be a reprisal attack by supporters of the murdered president of Rumuolumeini Youth Council and formal deputy chairman of the country's oil workers' union, Golden Isi, who was killed on June 25 by some unknown gunmen.

Local reports of Sunday's battle said that one of the two groups was the dreaded Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.

The reports did not identify the other group.

The groups battled at Abakaliki Road in Port Harcourt over which was genuinely interested in the welfare of the people of the Niger Delta, labelling each other as sellouts.

Rivers State police spokeswoman Ireju Barasua told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa that those killed in Sunday's shootout had been deposited in mortuaries.

"By Monday, a clearer picture must have emerged, and we shall be able to give you further details," she said.

U.S. Consulate Issues Warden Message

U.S. Consulate General LAGOS

NIGERIA

July 2, 2007

Warden Message

This Warden Message is being issued to advise American citizens that there has been a recent increase in the reporting of criminal activity impacting the expatriate community in Lagos. This reporting indicates a trend involving armed criminal gangs targeting small hotels, guesthouses and restaurants on Ikoyi and Victoria Island. During these attacks the criminals enter the property by force or stealth, take control of it and proceed to rob the guests and staff of their valuables. In the case of hotels, the criminals have gone door-to-door in a methodical manner and forced their way into individual rooms. In one recent case, an American citizen was killed after armed robbers entered his hotel room.

The U.S. Consulate General Lagos has advised its American citizen personnel and family members to take the following actions if they are the victims of a robbery attempt:

· Try to stay calm. Don't make any sudden movements to upset the robber;

· Do exactly as you are told, DO NOT resist or make eye contact!

· If you have to move, tell the robber what you are going to do and why;

· Don't be a hero. It's better to lose your money than your life;

· Give the robber time to leave;

· Note his direction of travel when he leaves;

· Try to get a description of his vehicle ONLY if you can do so without exposing yourself to harm.
There also has been an increase in reliable reports of armed robberies in and around Ikoyi, but more specifically the area of Osborne Road-Dolphin Estate. The criminals time their attacks to coincide with traffic traveling between Ikoyi and the mainland in the early evening to capitalize on the inevitable congestion and lower moving traffic. Criminals have previously set up roadblocks masquerading as police checkpoints and used other ruses to ambush unsuspecting motorists traveling between the airport and the islands in the Kingsway Road-2nd Avenue area and along the Third Mainland Bridge, particularly in the early morning hours (0400-0500).

The U.S. Consulate General Lagos has advised its American citizen personnel and family members to take the following precautions to avoid becoming the victim of a carjacking or robbery while in their vehicle:

• In traffic, look around for possible avenues of escape;

• While difficult in Lagos, do your best to keep some distance between you and the vehicle in front so you can maneuver easily if necessary – about one-half of your vehicle's length. (You should always be able to see the rear tires of the vehicle in front of you);

• When stopped, use your rear and side view mirrors to stay aware of your surroundings. Also keep your doors locked and windows up. This increases your safety and makes it more difficult for an attacker to surprise you.

The following actions should be taken if one becomes the victim of a carjacking or robbery while in a car:

• In most carjacking situations, the attackers are interested only in the vehicle – give up the car freely, do not resist or argue;

• Try to stay calm;

• Make the attacker aware if children are present;

• Listen carefully to all directions;

• Make no quick or sudden movements that the attacker could construe as a counter attack and avoid eye contact;

• Always keep your hands in plain view and tell the attacker of every move in advance;

• If prompted, get out of car while keeping your hands in plain view at all times;

• On demand, offer cash;

• Depart the scene as soon as possible.

We continue to advise all Americans to review their security procedures, remain vigilant to their surroundings, and report specific incidences of targeted violence to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja or the U. S. Consulate General in Lagos at the numbers below.

For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs internet website at http://travel.state.gov/, where the current Worldwide Caution, Public Announcements, and Travel Warnings can be found. Up to date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. Federal Holidays.)

U.S. Embassy Abuja is located at Plot 1075 Diplomatic Drive, Central Business District, Abuja; the telephone number is 09-461-4000. E-Mail: ConsularAbuja@state.gov

The U.S. Consulate Lagos is located at 2 Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island, Lagos; the telephone number is 01-261-1215. For after-hours emergencies, call 011 [234] (1) 261-1414, 261-0195, 261-0078, 261-0139, or 261-6477. E-Mail: lagoscons2@state.gov

Website: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov

Militants Abduct Oil Workers in Defiance of VP's Visit

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, on Sunday, disclosed that some workers of the American oil giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited, had been kidnapped by the Niger Delta militants at Okerenkoko, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta state.

Uduaghan said the oil workers were abducted on Thursday, shortly after the Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, departed the creeks of Delta state.

He said the militants were protesting the failure of Jonathan to visit their communities on Thursday.

Uduaghan, who made this revelation, did not however reveal the number of oil workers abducted by the militants.

Uduaghan, in his message at the commencement of a 7-day prayer session declared by the Niger Delta Development Commission for the restoration of peace to Niger Delta at the Word of Life Bible Church, Warri, on Sunday, said some workers of CNL were abducted by the militants on Thursday.

Uduaghan said the oil workers were yet to be freed as at Sunday.

He said, ”Following logistic problems, the VP could not touch all the communities he was scheduled to touch.

“This sparked up another round of anger in the land on Thursday.

”The people got angry and felt they were left out. They even went as far as taking some workers of Chevron hostage, and we are on that, trying to calm and manage the situation up till Saturday evening.”

Udughan, however, accused the leaders and youths of the region of being the masterminds of the increasing act of abduction of expatriates, especially oil workers, in the region.

Uduaghan also decried the increasing involvement of the elders and leaders of the region in criminal activities.

He added that the development was unfortunate, saying that the prevailing insecurity in the region had led to exodus of investors from the area.

Uduaghan also stated that some investors had fled the region in the past few weeks.

Responding, an official of the CNL, who preferred anonymity said, “To the best of my knowledge, nothing like that happened.

“ We are aware that Mr. Vice-President and the governor visited the area on Thursday, but was not told of any incident.

Syrian Abducted from Port Harcourt (Vanguard)

Militants struck again in the early hours of yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital and kidnapped a Syrian, Mr. John Daher.

Seven gunmen, according to the Rivers State Police Command Public Relations Officer, waylaid a Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) bus inside which the Syrian was riding along Ero Road, off Olu Obasanjo Road, New Government Reservation Area, Port Harcourt.

Daher is a project engineer with a Port Harcourt based firm, Sputoland.

No group has, however, claimed responsibility for the kidnap, which was the second within a week in the Rivers State capital.

Human Rights Group Praises Jonathan (Vanguard)

Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) in Delta State, weekend, applauded the Vice President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for his recent visit to the creeks of Delta State but suggested that future meetings of the Presidential Committee for the Socio-Economic Development of the Coastal States should, henceforth, be held in the creeks of the Niger Delta region and not in Aso Rock, Abuja.

Chairman of Delta CDHR, Mr. Oghenjabor Ikimi told Vanguard in an interview, yesterday, in Warri, “It is when the meeting is held in the creeks that government can fully appreciate the plight of the people living in the creeks in a bid to fast track the infrastructural development of the entire region”.

Mr Ikimi also commended President Umaru Musa Yar' Adua for having the courage to fulfill his campaign promise to the people by declaring his assets and liabilities publicly.

“This singular act”, he said, “has further portrayed the President and Commander-In -Chief of the Armed Forces, as a leader that is prepared to fight corruption head-on and lead by example”.

“ We call on all other public office holders in Nigeria to emulate the example of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar-Adua in this regard in the interest of good governance”, he added.

His words, “We as a body, have resolved to draft and sponsor a private bill to be tagged transparency and public accountability bill to the National Assembly, which when passed into law, would amongst other things, compel the executive operators of the three tiers of government to publish on a monthly basis a statement of accounts of all monies received from the Federation Account, assets, expenditures and liabilities for interested members of the public to peruse in the interest of transparency and accountability”.

“Furthermore, the proposed bill when it becomes an Act of parliament would also compel executive operators of the three tiers of government to always demand that public sign post be erected by government contractors on all government project sites showing amongst other things, the amount such contracts are awarded by government so that members of the public can have a first hand information on how government disburses and spends monies kept in the public treasuries for capital projects”, he asserted.

Future Peace in the Niger Delta -- Analysis (Mail & Guardian)

Most people get perhaps one chance in a lifetime to make a truly grand entrance. Not so Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, the Ijaw leader of the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF) who was released on bail and returned to Port Harcourt in late June after spending 20 months in detention on charges of treason. The huge crowd that turned out to welcome him was even bigger than the crowd of October 2 2004, when he returned from peace talks with then-president Olusegun Obasanjo after months of violence between the NDPVF and the Niger Delta Vigilante, an armed group funded by the government of Rivers State. Asari was arrested in 2005 after he said during a newspaper interview that he would work for the break-up of Nigeria. Following his incarceration, violence in the Niger Delta escalated and a new group, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, emerged and began taking foreign oil workers hostage. The huge support for Asari confirms his charismatic leadership, but it also underlines the fact that people in the Niger Delta hunger for a change in their poor living conditions. Dr Sofiri Peterside, a director of the Centre for Advanced Social Science, based in Port Harcourt, said: "Asari has demonstrated that he is a charismatic hero of the people, going by the massive crowd that went to the airport and lined the streets to welcome him from Abuja. His return also underlines the reality that there can be no dialogue on the Niger Delta without the participation of people like him." A source from the Ijaw community told the Mail & Guardian that Ijaw leaders had worked hard to get Asari released before he was scheduled to appear in court because they were concerned that Asari, known for being mercurial, might have insulted the judge and frustrated efforts to free him. Asari said he was "not aware of any conditional release. I was not in court when it was decided that I was granted bail. I was surprised to hear that I had been granted bail." Asari has returned to a Niger Delta of rising acts of violence, including hostage-taking of foreign oil workers for ransom, attacks on oil facilities and bunkering, the illegal siphoning and sale of crude oil by armed groups. As if to underline the gravity of the tension in the area, the Nigerian Agip Oil Company recently had to declare force majeure, following its failure to meet supply obligations. This followed an attack by armed men on a flow station at Ogboinbiri, which has a daily output of 40 000 barrels. At least 11 Nigerian soldiers are believed to have been killed in the attack. The attack followed another by the Joint Task Force, responsible for security in the waterways of the oil-rich area, which led to the killing of nine men believed to be militants. After the attacks, the government ordered more gunboats to be deployed in the area. Meanwhile, Asari's release by the new government of Umar Musa Yar'Ardua is seen as a conciliatory gesture by an administration that seems intent on sending a message that it will not pursue the hardline military approach of the previous government. The Obasanjo government displayed a brittle intolerance for any challenge from the militant groups and continued to deploy troops to troubled areas, even though the soldiers often ended up being humiliated by the fighters. Asari's return to the Niger Delta is expected to be the first step in a process of dialogue with the people of the region, who have been engaged in decades of conflict with the Nigerian state over issues of self-determination, the practice of true federalism and the adoption of revenue sharing between the central government and the Niger Delta states. Much is expected of Asari. He started off well by continuing to condemn the practice of hostage-taking by many of the militant groups, a position he held even in detention. When he was released he said: "The criminality that is going on now has nothing to do with the Ijaw people. Some of these groups exist only on the internet and others on the pages of newspapers." Many of the groups that engage in violence claimed they did so to compel the government to release Asari and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the former governor of Bayelsa state, who was detained in 2005 and accused of fraud. Although Asari commands respect among many groups, a factor that aided his NDPVF group in its battles in 2003 and 2004, many of the Niger Delta militia groups have grown wealthy and powerful as a result of the hostage-taking that started last year. Their influence has been linked to the protection of and collaboration with certain government officials. There are fears of clashes between Asari and such groups, which might worsen tension in the area. At the same time, most of the militant groups are of Ijaw stock. The next few months could see incidents of Ijaw-on-Ijaw violence that could worsen the situation. Professor Kimse Okoko, president of the Ijaw National Congress, said: "We welcome the release of Asari from unjust detention, but the issues of the Niger Delta go beyond him. Now that he has been released, we wait for the Yar'Ardua government to demonstrate its sincerity by initiating dialogue with the Ijaw and other peoples of the Niger Delta." Okoko's sentiments are echoed in Peterside's warning of the consequences of treating the situation in the Delta simply as a criminal matter. "Yes, many people condemn what has emerged as the proliferation of armed groups in the region. But, the truth is, even the emergence of the militant groups, including those involved in hostage-taking, is a result of the failure of the Nigerian state to deal with the issues at the centre of the agitations in a just manner. The solution is a process of dialogue with the people of the region to culminate in a constitutional resolution of the issues," Peterside said. Asari agrees, saying that the way to resolve the conflict in the Niger Delta is to turn attention to the demands of the various ethnic nationalities. "The Niger Delta struggle is focused. You can find that in the Kaiama declaration of the Ijaw people, the Ogoni Bill of Rights and the Aklakla declaration of the Egi people. A sovereign national conference is requisite for the resolution of the Niger Delta issue."