Nigeria Security Update #1 300507

Militants agree on ceasefire, hostages to be freed soon

WARRI—Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) and the Niger-Delta Freedom Fighters (NDDF), aka Egbema One, which clashed in the creek, Sunday, following an audacious attempt by the MEND to rescue the four American hostages, kidnapped by the latter since May 8, precisely 22 days ago, have reportedly agreed on a ceasefire, raising hope, yesterday, that the foreign oil workers would be released before long.

Vanguard gathered that members of the NDDF held a meeting on the development in their camp but a top member of the group, who spoke to our reporter said: “We have not handed them over yet, they are still with us, but, there is a pointer that we will hand them over soon”.

How soon? Vanguard asked. His reply, “I don’t know now because we are still discussing but there is hope that they will soon be released”.

It was reliably learnt that some powerful Ijaw leaders prevailed on the leaders of both militant groups to sheathe their swords. Five members of the NDDF were captured by MEND operatives who took the battle to the den of the Egbema One.

Before the cheering news, yesterday, on the cessation of hostilities between the two groups, there were conflicting reports on the fate of the four kidnapped American oil workers, as an account said the NDDF had changed its base and moved the hostages to a different location to prevent the MEND from having access to them, while the other had it that the hostages were not relocated and that the Egbema One was still in their location in the swampy forest.

In deed, a source told Vanguard, early yesterday, that the NDDF had relocated the hostages and that it was not possible to contact them on the latest development.

However, Vanguard confirmed from an NDDF source, at about 2.30 pm, that the four hostages: Chris Gay, Mike Roussel, Larry Plake and Kevin Faller, all workers of Global Industries, a servicing company to the American multinational oil company, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), were kidnapped, May 8, precisely, 22 days ago, purportedly to compel the CNL to enter into an agreement with the militia on the company’s development package for the Ijaw people of Egbema Kingdom in Warri North local government area of Delta state were not relocated, that they were still very much alive and in the camp.

15 killed in inauguration shootout

One Prince Igodo, alleged to be the arrow-head of the criminal gang responsible for most of recent abductions in Rivers State, was among 15 members of the De Bam cult group killed in a shootout on Tuesday in Tombia, Degema Local Government Area of the state.

Reports had it that another cult group, known as the Outlaws, led by one Soboma George, received reports that Igodo and his boys were mobilising to disrupt the swearing-in ceremony of the new Rivers State governor in Port Harcourt and they stormed their Tombia hideout.

After accomplishing the mission to Tombia and on their way back, sources further informed that the Outlaws ran into a team of the Joint Task Force (JTF) on patrol of the water ways.

According to a source, the JTF immediately opened fire on them and killed two of their members.

The cultists, who were in three speed boats, were said to have quickly gathered themselves and fled the scene.

When reached, the spokesman of the 2 Amphibious Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Major Sagir Musa, said he had heard of the reported death of Prince Igodo, but said he was yet to confirm.

The state police commissioner said he had heard reports of violence in the Tombia area but was unable to confirm any details as the area was not accessible by road and his men had been busy all day providing security for the inauguration.

Gang fighting is just one facet of an 18-month upsurge in violence in the anarchic delta that President Umaru Yar'Adua pledged in his inaugural speech on Tuesday he would tackle urgently.

Yar'Adua will face an uphill battle. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, a rebel group responsible for attacks on the oil industry that have cut output by a quarter, immediately dismissed his pledge as not enough to stop violence.

Police Arrest Protesters in Lagos

Six human rights activists were on Tuesday arrested in Lagos and taken away to Panti Police Station in Yaba for allegedly carrying a coffin to mark the death of the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Also, the police at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) secretariat in Yaba forcefully stopped what would have been a protest against the alleged electoral fraud that took place in the April general election.

Those arrested, according to the spokesperson for United Action for Democracy and Joint Action Forum (JAF), Abiodun Aremu, were Mr. Debo Adeniran, Tayo Akingbade, Leke Adebanjo,.Jami Ogunsola and Monday Alabi.

At Yaba venue of the planned mass protest, the policemen numbering about 100 led by the Surulere Police Area Commander, Mr. Temi Yahaya Omojola,who had arrived at the NLC secretariat as early as 6.30 a.m., told the leaders of Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) that he had been instructed not to allow the protesters to march in Lagos.

The protesters, led by Tunji Braitwaite, Femi Falana and others, who had assembled at the NLC secretariat at about 6.30 a.m., were furious at the police order but vowed to go ahead with their planned protest march.

This led to a disagreement between the police team and protesters.

Earlier, Mr. Falana had described the inauguration of Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’ Adua and state governors as a charade, because out of the 60 heads of state invited for the ceremony, only eight arrived in Abuja last night (Monday night) which shows that the whole exercise lacks credibility.”

Speaking to journalists on the aborted mass protest, one of the leaders of the LASCO, Mr. Abiodun Aremu, said though police had disrupted the protest, the fact remained “that we have made our point that some Nigerians are not happy with the imposition of candidates on the country as president and governors.”

(From the Vanguard) No fewer than eleven activists including four women were arrested yesterday in Lagos and Edo states by the police, as Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO), made good their threat to protest against the conduct and outcome of April general elections.

Those arrested in Lagos were members of United Action for Democracy (UAD) and Joint Action Forum (JAF) and their names were given as Messrs Debo Adeniran, Tayo Akingbade, Leke Adebanjo, Jamiu Ogunsola and Monday Alabi, while names of those said to have been arrested in Benin city, Edo State, were given as Mr. Teimoloede Paul, Mr. David Falola, Mrs. Rabi Egulie and three other women whose names could not be ascertained at press time.

The five in Lagos were arrested in Ikeja with mock coffin of ex-President Obasanjo on their way to Yaba, protest venue after staging an earlier protest at Ijaiye area of Lagos.

Confirming their arrest to Vanguard, Secretary of JAF and Convener of UAD, Comrade Abiodun Aremu said: "Five members of UAD and JAF were arrested by Police today (yesterday) in Ikeja area of Lagos with a mock coffin of General Obasanjo which they were bringing for the Yaba rally with the aim of burring the wicked regime of Obasanjo forever.

They were arrested on their way to Yaba, after holding a protest in Ijaiye area of Lagos. As I speak to you now, they are being moved to State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Panti, Lagos. Their names are Debo Adeniran, Tayo Akingbade, Leke Adebanjo, Jamiu Ogunsola and Monday Alabi.

"Similarly, we have been informed that at least six persons including four women were arrested in a spot in the Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Benin City, Edo State. We have been informed that they were arrested after the police in compliance to the order by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero to shoot and kill innocent Nigerians who try to protest the election robbery and subversion of the people’s will, shot live bullets at a Jeep belonging to the Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN).

"One thing is clear, they cannot intimidate us. This is just the beginning. We are certain that Nigerians would overcome this evil.”

But in a swift reaction to the reported arrest of activist in Lagos, the Lagos State Police Command’s spokesman, Mr Olubode Ojajuni stated categorically that the command did not arrest any protester. He said that there was no mass protest of any kind in the state let alone an arrest.

He however said that what would have been described close to a protest was at Ikeja but that the police led by the Area F commander quickly put the situation in check. Noting that all area commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) had earlier been briefed on the necessity to keep surveillance over their jurisdictions with a view to ensuring that the inauguration ceremony to usher in the new administration was not in any way disturbed, Ojajuni said the directive was taken to its letter as all policemen on duty behaved themselves. He said that the manner at which policemen conducted themselves was even commended by some of the activists.

PDP supporters boo Bode George in Lagos

A mild drama ensued at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, yesterday, as hundreds of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faithful in the state booed the deputy natioal chairman of the PDP, Chief Olabode George when he accompanied former President Olusegun Obasanjo to Lagos.

They alleged that the PDP chieftain was responsible for the party’s failure at the gubernatorial elections in Lagos, which the party’s candidate, Musiliu Obanikoro lost to his Action Congress candidate, Babatunde Fasola.

Obanikoro himself was in the midst of the crowd of the party supporters, as they rained curses on Chief George.

But in a swift reaction, Obanikoro condemned the action of his supporters, describing it as most irresponsible.

The party supporters had thronged the airport as early as 10:00am, calling for the head of the PDP chieftain.
Not even the scorching sun dampened the enthusiasm of the party supporters who stormed the airport in scores of commercial buses, including the popular Molue buses.

The chanting of songs continued till the first presidential jet touched down at exactly 3:05pm, and thinking it was the former president and Chief George the aircraft brought to Lagos, the party supporters surged towards it to get at him.

It soon became obvious that it was the body guards of the former president that the jet brought to Lagos, and they immediately made a retreat.

Meanwhile, Arik Air’s Bombardier CRJ 900 aircraft had earlier conveyed all ministers and special advisers of the former president to Lagos to receive their former boss.

At exactly 3:11pm, the much awaited OBJ Presidential Jet, marked 001, conveying the former president and some of his aides and Chief George arrived the presidential wing.

As soon as they sighted the PDP chieftain disembarking from the aircraft, chants of Bode Goerge Ole, Bode George Ole, (Thief) again rent the air.

Sensing trouble, security men immediately whisked him into a waiting presidential helicopter, as some others made efforts to push back the surging crowd.

Robbery suspects run into brick wall in Delta

DELTA State Police Command has recorded another success in the battle against criminals in the state with the recovery of three military rifles after an encounter with some armed robbers along Warri-Sapele road in Warri, Delta State on May 7. Crime File investigations revealed that a three-man gang had dispossessed one Sheriff of his commercial bus at 10.10pm on the said day and driven towards Enerhen road. Following complaints by the victim, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) alerted all patrol teams along Warri-Sapele road while policemen at a road block mounted along Urhobo College later tracked down the fleeing robbers.

A reliable police source told Crime File that the robbers, on sighting the police, opened fire which was spontaneously replied, leading to the arrest of two of them with bullet wounds while the three others escaped with bullet wounds. On searching the vehicle, the policemen discovered three military rifles comprising one G.3 with No. GT 5279; Two AK47 rifles with model 1968 No. 4352 and model 1069 No. 543314 respectively with eight rounds of 7.62mm AK 47 ammunition. It was gathered that the arrested suspects later died when they were being rushed to the hospital. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hezekiah Dimka, who confirmed the recovery of the weapons commended his officers and men attached to Enerhen Divisional Command for a job well done.

In addition, an armed robbery suspect who claimed to be a serving soldier attached to 20 Battalion, Sadi Buruwa in Taraba State has been arrested by the police. Security sources told Crime File that the suspect, Tama Kpeluke, was arrested on May 4, over his involvement in a armed robbery in the state. Crime File gathered that the soldier was arrested following a distress call by one Sunny Ogbeteire that his Golf car with registration BK 429 ENU was snatched from him by two armed men on a motorcycle. The source said further that policemen from the ‘A’ Division, Asaba, swung into action and went after the robbers only to receive another distress call that robbers were operating at Fan Milk Company where N515, 000 and some handsets were carted away. On receipt of the second information, the patrol team was said to have rushed to the scene but the robbers, on sighting them, sped towards River Niger where they abandoned the vehicle and jumped into the river.

Crime Life learnt that the police who were determined to make a success of their assignment also jumped after them and were able to arrest Tama Kpeluke while others escaped. “When Tama Kpeluke Dickson was arrested, he claimed to be a soldier serving at 20 Battalion, Sadi Buruwa, Taraba State. He confessed to having participated in the first and second robberies. We are still investigating whether he is actually a soldier,” the source added. Among the items recovered from the Golf car that was abandoned at the river bank were six rounds of Brownie pistol ammunition; one round of 5.56mm live ammunition and N163, 220.00. Delta State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hezekiah Dimka, confirmed the arrest and said efforts were on to contact the Battalion for proper identification of the suspect.

Nigeria Security Update #2 290507

• Noon: Correspondents in Port Harcourt and Lagos report all is very quiet. Streets are empty. In Lagos they are playing golf at the country clubs. In Port Harcourt expatriates are maintaining a low profile. There are no reports of protests or unrest in Abuja at this time.

Nigeria Security Update #1 290507

Workers paralyse Nigeria - Fresh protests hold today

THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) made good its threat to cripple activities in Nigeria yesterday as it recorded success in its sit-at-home protest against the inauguration of President Umaru Yar’Adua.


NLC and its civil society allies under the aegis of Labour and Civil Societies Coalition (LASCO) had called out workers on a sit-at-home protest for yesterday and today to protest against what they said was the irregularities that marred the election that produced Yar’Adua.


The NLC yesterday also urged workers and Nigerians to hold “neighbourhood rallies” today to further the protest.


In Abuja, business activities were paralysed as workers and commercial outfits complied with the order.


Business and government activities were grounded, while three truckloads of police arrived at the Labour House headquarters of the NLC and cordoned off the premises.


As at 3. 30 p.m when the Nigerian Tribune visited the Labour House, a police pick-up van was still seen stationed close to the premises.


Despite threats by the police high command against any form of protests that would jeopardise the successful and peaceful handover of government to the president-elect, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’Adua today, the Nigerians were not deterred. Bonfires were lit in some parts of the FCT. Banks and other commercial outfits were closed to business.


Investigation revealed that in Garki, Central District and Wuse areas of the city, the roads were free of normal traffic while those who besieged their banks were turned back.


Reacting to the development, the NLC General Secretary, Mr. John Odah, said there was support for the sit-at-home protest, saying that the Federal Government added to the success, especially in the FCT, by asking workers to stay at home without declaring a public holiday.


In continuation of the protest, Odah said protesters “should do neighbourhood rallies” today and added that there was a problem in Nyanyan and Kubwa parts of the FCT yesterday between the police and the labour leaders.


In Ekiti State, many workers in the state deserted their places of work in compliance with the protest.


Nigerian Tribune investigations in the state capital, Ado-Ekiti, and some other parts of the state yesterday, revealed that offices were deserted by workers who opted for personal business like trading and hawking.


At the state secretariat in Ado-Ekiti, only a few top government officials were seen in their offices. Also, many banks did not open as at the time the Nigerian Tribune visited their premises.


One of the banks visited is a first generation bank in Ajilosun area of the town. The workers of the state House of Assembly were not in their offices and many workers in the Governor’s Office also did not show up.


The state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) was locked. No official could be reached for comment.


Meanwhile, a combined team of mobile and conventional policemen has been deployed in the state capital in preparation for the inauguration of the new administration.


The policemen could be seen at strategic places in the town. Speaking on the development, the state Police Commissioner, through the Public Relation Officer, Mr. Gabriel Celestine, said the police would do all they could to see that peace was maintained before, during and after the inauguration in the state.


In Rivers State, the sit-at-home order kept most public institutions like schools, offices and banks under lock. But there was no restriction of movement in Port Harcourt as people went about their business without molestation.


Armed mobile policemen were seen patrolling major streets in the state capital. Markets, motor parks, shops and other commercial concerns opened for business, just like the state election petition tribunal held its sitting uninterrupted at the High Court 2 in Port Harcourt.


It was further observed that staff of the Government House and the state Accountant-General’s office offered skeleton services. This, the Nigerian Tribune gathered, was geared towards ensuring the successful inauguration of Sir Celestine Omehia as the governor of the state.


The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu, speaking through the command’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Ireju Barasua, told the Nigerian Tribune in a telephone interview that nothing unusual happened in the state.


In Kogi State, yesterday, labour leaders stormed the state secretariat and drove away workers who had arrived for work. The workers had defied the stay-at-home order by both the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress (TUC) and reported in their offices.


The state secretary of NLC, Mr. Segun Abdul, stated that the union went round some offices to ensure that workers complied with the directive from the national headquarters on the stay-at-home order.


Nigerian Tribune discovered that the state secretariat became deserted around 12 noon, while some banks that opened for business in the morning later closed shop.


However, some known customers were allowed in through a special arrangement. It was gathered that the closure of such banks was as a result of directives from their headquarters to guard against looting by hoodlums.


Rival Militants Clash Over American Hostages

FIVE members of the Niger Delta Freedom Fighters (NDDF), aka Egbema One, the militant group that abducted four American oil workers of Global Industries, May 8, have been kidnapped following a gun battle in the early hours of Sunday with militants from the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND). MEND members had invaded the den of the Egbema One in the creek in a daring bid to rescue the hostages.

The five Egbema One fighters who were captured by MEND operatives were reportedly being held by the MEND in its own den. An unconfirmed reports yesterday said two or three others escaped from their captors while they were being taken to MEND's campground.

Vanguard learnt that before the raid by MEND, which accused the NDDF of undermining the Niger Delta struggle by allegedly demanding payoff for the release of the hostages, its high command had made an overture to the NDDF to release the hostages but the latter refused, saying they did not know the motive behind MEND's action.

MEND reportedly went back to the NDDF den after the Sunday offensive to ask for the handover of the hostages but the Egbema One called its bluff, resulting in a stalemate that has now put the life of the four hostages-- Messrs. Mike Roussel (anchor operator), Chris Gay (anchor operator), Kelvin Faller (barge foreman) and Larry Plake (anchor operator)-- in serious jeopardy.

MEND threatens to hand over militant hostages to JTF

A competent source hinted, yesterday, that MEND might consider handing over the NDDF captives to the Joint Military Task Force (JMTF) in the Niger Delta if NDDF refused to release the hostages.

NDDF confirms MEND attack

A member of the NDDF confirmed to Vanguard when contacted on Sunday that MEND operatives actually invaded their camp, asking them to release the four American oil workers, who work for an oil servicing company to the Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL).

"But they were trying to use force and we cannot succumb to that. If they want them released without meeting our demands, we want to know why but I want to assure you that nobody can take them by force from us or everybody will die, including the hostages. In fact, they are endangering the lives of the hostages with their action..

"They (MEND) sent some people to our camp in the early hours of Sunday. They took five of our men away and damaged our boat without provocation but we did not want to reply them, otherwise there would have been cataclysm in the creek.

"We are brothers and we don't want to fight our brothers but we cannot release the hostages to them and nobody can take the hostages away alive from this camp without discussing with us," he said.

Why we attacked NDDF - MEND

A top official of MEND who spoke to Vanguard on the development said the group had received complaints from Egbema One leaders and other Ijaw leaders in the Niger Delta on the activities of the NDDF, which was allegedly asking for money to release the hostages, saying: "MEND is against that. We don't kidnap for money and we have restated this point over and over.

"Some of these boys are giving a bad name to the struggle and we don't want that. In fact, we want to sanitise the system and stop all these people who are giving Niger Delta a bad name. MEND has never kidnapped without a reason. Never mind those who do all manner of things and say they are from MEND, it is not true. We only take hostages when it is necessary and we don't attach monetary demands to their release," he said.

Vanguard confirmed that some Ijaw leaders from Egbema kingdom actually complained to MEND on the activities of the NDDF and it was following their complaints that the group intervened.

However, the leader of the NDDF dismissed the allegation that the group was asking for ransom before the release of the hostages, saying: "You (Vanguard) came to our den, we allowed you and we told you our demands, we never mentioned money. We told you that we want development and that the Chevron Oil Company should sign agreement with us on what they want to do to develop our area with the government as an observer."

He said it was not true as reported in one of the national dailies that the NDDF was asking for N500 million ransom before the hostages could be freed.

Commander of the JMTF, Brigadier-General Lawrence Ngubane, told Vanguard when contacted on phone, yesterday, that he was not aware of the offensive by MEND against the NDDF, saying he would be happy if the militants realised on their own that taking of hostages was not doing the image of Niger Delta any good.

Officials of the CNL who were also reached by Vanguard said they were not aware of the raid by the MEND on the NDDF camp in its bid to release the four American oil workers.

Nigeria Security Update #3 280507

Volunteer Force Leader Condemns Hostage Taking

LEADER of Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujihad Dokubo-Asari has condemned hostage-taking and kidnapping in the Niger Delta region.

The condemnation was contained in his goodwill message to the people of Niger Delta to mark the 2007 Isaac Boro day.

Dokubo-Asari said that the unfolding scenario in the Ijaw and Niger Delta territories have convinced him that reactionaries and counter-revolutionary elements have hijacked and diverted the struggle from its original course to a destination that will not be in the best interest of our people.

He further lamented that "In our case what have we turned this effective and noble tool into? We turned it into a conduit pipe leading to easy money extortion to restore back dignity. Today, we waste valuable lives for the sole purpose of satisfying our insatiable greed. Nobody takes us seriously anymore.

"Whenever we take hostages, they say leave them, "when we give them money them go leave them." Even we are not ashamed. We boast to others who refuse to join our banditry and criminality that we are in the struggle when we are actually the enemies of our people, struggle and territory.

We will stand condemned in this world and in the hereafter, if we do not turn away from the path of disgrace... we degenerated and deviated from the path of nobility, honour and dignity?"

The struggle, Dokubo-Asari noted has lost focus because of ideological bankruptcy as many have even taken the name and memory of their great soul to 419 and extort money from government, corporate organisation and individuals.

"Do we need to rubbish and desecrate all our sacred icons for a few pieces of silver?, Dokubo-Asari said.

The detained leader stated that NDPVF is an organisation with a strong bias against corruption, ideological prostitution and political moral bankruptcy and those who want to continue to claim to be part of the organisation, must urgently read its mission statement and change their lives and behaviour.

"By our rules, we will denounce you. There is no longer any room for "we no go chop?" We are not your parents, relations or a charitable organisation or an employment agency. You cannot force yourself on us and insist that you must be part of us when you are not ready to abide by our rules. We will not allow you to put sand in our garri. Enough is enough or you would be shown the way out," warned Dokubo-Asari.

He advocated for the setting up of a government in exile by the Ijaws and Niger Delta indigenes in diaspora and pointed out that most struggles for the liberation of occupied territories are led by persons in diaspora.

"Brothers and sisters, the victory for the struggle for the liberation of our people can only be realised if you seize this opportunity and organised yourselves into a vanguard for the propagation of the fundamental issues at take in our quest for the restoration of our independence and dignity.

10,000 Policemen to Provide Inauguration Security

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) police command will deploy about 10,000 policemen to provide security during the May 29 presidential inauguration ceremony at the Eagle square, Abuja, FCT police commissioner, Mr Lawrence Alobi, said in a radio programme in Abuja yesterday.

He advised troublemakers to keep off the streets of Abuja on that day, adding that the police would deal ruthlessly with anybody caught trying to disrupt the ceremony.

"People calling on others to protest should know that when the crises begin, it would be difficult to control the crowd," he warned.

Alobi said he was aware of plans by some persons to cause problems, and vowed that the 10,000 policemen would be deployed to areas to ensure a smooth handing over process from one civilian government to another.

"There are threats to disrupt the inauguration from some quarters, so we are not taking these threats lightly," he said.

The police commissioner assured Abuja residents that the large number of policemen to be drafted to provide security at the inauguration would not affect security arrangements in their residential areas.

Alobi had earlier informed the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) last Thursday that police escorts, patrol vehicles, motorcycles, police dogs, mounted troop, crowd control operatives and anti-riot personnel would be deployed for the exercise.

He said the command had beefed up security at all the roads into the city, including hotels, strategic places and black spots to ensure a hitch-free inauguration.

The police commissioner said operatives from other sister security agencies would be involved to ensure the success of the ceremony while helicopters would be used for air surveillance.

"We have mobilised our men and I believe we have the logistics to perform wonderfully," Alobi said.

He reminded groups and individuals that the Public Order Act was still active and that those planning to stage protests must apply at least 48 hours in advance for permission to embark on the exercise.

Petrol Price Hike Brings Fears of Protests

Oil-rich Nigeria has hiked the pump price of petrol by 15%, raising fears of a dispute between unions and the government.

Although no official announcement has been made, Nigerian motorists woke up to find petrol stations in Lagos, Abuja and other cities had increased their pump price to 75 naira from 65 naira per litre.

The increase came just 24 hours before President Olusegun Obasanjo steps down after eight years in office.

Attendants at Nigerian garages told AFP that the adjustment was aimed at covering their rising cost of business.

Since Obasanjo came into office in 1999, past fuel price hikes, supported by authorities, have triggered strikes aimed at making the government to reverse its decision.

"This is one price increase too many. Obasanjo has increased fuel price by more than five times since he came to power in 1999," union leader Dele Dada told AFP.

He said unions would resist the hike.

"This is a bad parting gift to Nigerians. How can somebody who has less than 24 hours to leave government introduce a policy that will further impoverish the people?" Lagos lawyer Gani Fawehinmi asked.

Analysts say the hike might cause a quick crisis for new president Umaru Yar'Adua.

The oil unions suspended a two-day-old strike on Saturday after the government met their demands over the proposed sale of two state-owned oil refineries to private investors.

The strike by some 4 000 workers of the state-owned oil group NNPC disrupted fuel supplies.

Nigeria, Africa's biggest producer and the world's sixth oil exporter, has seen a quarter of its daily output of 2.6 million barrels per day of crude cut back by unrest in the Niger delta.

Obasanjo ally buys second Nigerian refinery

Nigerian tycoon Aliko Dangote has acquired a controlling stake in Nigeria's third-largest refinery in Kaduna for an undisclosed sum, consolidating his grip on the OPEC member nation's refining sector.

It was the second major refinery purchase in a week by Dangote, who is a major financier of the ruling party and ally of outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo, after he bought the largest refinery in Port Harcourt on May 17.

"We are handing over Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries to Dangote today," a spokesman for the privatisation agency, the Bureau for Public Enterprises, said.

He declined to give details of the Kaduna sale until after a ceremony planned for later on Monday, the eve of Obasanjo's retirement.

Nigeria Security Update #2 280507 BULLET

Militants Give FG Ultimatum

A prominent militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Bayelsa State chapter has issued a 72- hour ultimatum to the Federal Government to release detained activist, Alhaji Asari Dokubo or risk the killing of seven expatriate oil workers abducted Friday, by militants in Akassa, Brass local government area of the state.

The expatriates comprising three Americans and four Britons working for Transcoastal, an oil servicing firm and a subsidiary of Conoil Nigeria Limited, are still in the custody of the militants, while one Nigerian, a South African and a Filipino kidnapped earlier, have regained their freedom.

Commander of MEND in the state, Mr. Joshua Makaira, issued the ultimatum in a statement made available to Daily Champion in Yenagoa, Saturday, just as he noted that an abducted Briton, Jeff Trewen has been in his custody, since May 5, this year, adding that the state government and employers of the oil worker have since been pleading for his release.

Makaira further warned that if the federal government fails to set Dokubo free, all the hostages in their captivity would be killed by May 29, when the incumbent administration is expected to hand over power.

Alhaji Dokubo-Asari, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples' Volunteer Force (NDPVF) has been in detention since November 2005 on charges of treason.

Makaira also alleged that his group has uncovered a plot to murder Dokubo in custody by poisoning, claiming that it was revealed to the detainee by his counsel.

He stated with emphasis that peace would no longer be guaranteed as total action would lead to the destruction of oil facilities located in the Niger Delta region.

Nigeria Security Update #1 280507

No going back on protest, say civil society, Labour

TWENTY-FOUR hours to the inauguration of new political leadership at both the federal and state levels, Nigeria today is on tenterhooks.

Police presence was beefed up across the cities yesterday ahead of the two-day sit-at-home protests declared by the civil society and Labour leaders to begin today.

The proponents of the protests said that there was no going back on their plan, declaring that it would be morally indefensible to allow the "flawed polls of April in Nigeria to hold."

The arrow-heads of the planned protests insisted on the convocation of an Interim National Government (ING) to conduct election, and decried the Electoral Act which does not stipulate the conclusion of election disputes before oath taking by politicians as was the case in the 1979 Constitution.

Members of the opposition under the aegis of Nigeria United for Democracy (NUD) and the coalition of Civil Society Organisation (CSO) restated their opposition to tomorrow's inauguration of new administrations across the country, insisting that it must not hold because they did not derive from the wishes of the Nigerian people.

NUD National Chairman, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite and CSO's spokesperson, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, at different fora in Lagos, yesterday handed down the position of the two groups.

Dr. Braithwaite faulted attempt to inaugurate people whose election, according to him, had been globally adjudged to be flawed and below the least standard in the world.

The NUD chairman particularly decried the hurry to inaugurate those whose elections were disputed without waiting for the resolution of the disputes at the tribunals.

He wondered why the regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo decided to depart from the tradition of resolving disputes before the swearing in as was the case in the suit between the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and President Shehu Shagari in the Second Republic.

His words: "Before we substantiate our assertion, let me quickly refer you to a time that this basic feature (no inauguration before electoral restitution) was accepted and practised here in Nigeria. Please, recall the infamous two-thirds of 19 states judgment in Awolowo vs Shagari case of 1979."

Continuing, Braithwaite said: "The relevance of that case to our position is that Nigerians are perfectly entitled to demand justice, before any candidate whose mandate is disputed is forced on them. The Awo vs Shagari case was decided and resolved, prior to the inauguration of Shagari and so were all other election disputes of that time."

He noted that the practice of resolving electoral disputes before swearing-in was the trend all over the world and that Nigeria of today should not be an exception.

Reiterating NUD's call for an interim government, Braithwaite expressed belief that although it is not provided for in the constitution, the ING more logical and acceptable than installing "unelected persons."

Braithwaite, who is also the national chairman of the Nigerian Advance Party (NAP), warned that more serious political disaster awaited the country should the result of the elections stand.

He based his warning and fear on the unprecedented majority seats of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) at the National Assembly and some of the states assemblies, believing that the ruling party could use this to achieve its goal of changing the constitutional four-tenure to seven or more years.

"The first thing the PDP legislators would do in those circumstance, would be amendment of the constitution to substitute the four-year tenure of office to seven - 10 years and remove the two-term limit as well," he stated.

Braithwaite said that the two-day protest would hold, stressing that the action would mark the beginning of change in the country.

Letting out how the opposition would engage the incoming government, Braithwaite said: "The protest against this unprecedented and monumental rape of democratic principles has already started; it will surely escalate but in a peaceful manner until an interim administration takes over the governance of this country."

The CSO spokesperson, Odumakin and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) national chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu urged Nigerians to participate fully in the protest.

Nwosu told The Guardian that the presidential candidates of the various parties would lead the protest in Abuja tomorrow while the governorship candidates would lead the protest at the level of the states.

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) also called on its members nationwide and all true democrats to join Labour and Civil Society Coalition (LASCO) in their determination to salvage Nigeria.

In a statement yesterday, the National Publicity Secretary of the coalition, Mr. Osita Okechukwu said: "Our considered view rates the salvation of our nascent democracy as a national duty and urges all compatriots to join us on the second phase of the struggle billed to take off post inauguration."

The group continued: "We have for the umpteenth time stated that the sham elections must be cancelled as any government coming out of the charade will remain illegitimate no matter any grandstanding. The illegality cannot stand, otherwise it becomes eternal slavery."

It recalled that huge sums were spent by the government for the election with the controversial results. The group said: "Let us not forget that after spending over N60 billion on the elections, President Olusegun Obasanjo and his co-travellers in INEC deliberately subverted the peoples will, on the assumption that the opposition will embark on spontaneous mass action, which he could have capitalized on to declare a nation-wide state of emergency. We refused to fall into the booby trap. The time is now to return to the trenches."

The CNPP is, however, unwavering in its opposition to the new leaderships that have emerged. It said: "Whereas, CNPP commends all those who in one way or the other fought on the side of our dear country to defeat the evil Third Term, which today makes it imperative for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to retire in two days time (tomorrow) to his farm; however we wish to appeal for concerted effort to pull down the illegitimate government imposed on us."

It continued: "The world cannot be wrong, a receiver of stolen good in law is a thief and there is no posturing or propaganda that will erase the truism that Governor Umaru Yar'Adua and his cohorts in PDP were not elected by lawful votes. The non-compliance and corrupt practices that characterised the sham elections had substantially eroded the credibility of the process and atrophied our political culture. We must beware of negative political culture, once it takes root, it becomes very difficult to uproot."

The CNPP commended the Elie Wiesel Foundation (EWF), the European Union, the Trade Union Congress of United Kingdom, the Carter Foundation and other foreign governments which "appreciate the sordid scenario that we found ourselves which is the outcome of the inordinate ambition of one man to rule for life."

It appealed to all "to stand up and defend our hard-won democracy, for history has shown that freedom is never achieved on a platter of charity but must be earned."

The group added: "We are aware that it is not going to be a 100 meter dash, it is a marathon race as the election was deliberately, as we pointed out, bungled to precipitate crisis that could have created the material conditions for national state of emergency. We consciously avoided this booby trap."

Navy deploys six patrol ships in Niger Delta

The Nigerian Navy has deployed six patrol ships in the Niger Delta region to check the activities of militants operating in the area.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ganiyu Adekeye, disclosed this at the inauguration of the Nigerian Navy School of Health Sciences, Offa, Kwara State, on Saturday.

Adekeye, who said that the establishment of the NNSHS was part of the ongoing improvement in the navy, noted that in 2005, the navy could not boast of one sea-worthy ship.

”Right now we have six ships patrolling the Niger Delta constantly. That is why you have not heard anything from the militants of recent,” he said.

He said that the deployment of the ships became possible through the repair operation of the navy.

The CNS, who described the inauguration of the school as another milestone in the history of the Nigerian Navy, said that it was structured to meet the basic medical training requirements of navy‘s medical personnel.

He said that the school was relocated from Lagos to a more suitable site in Offa to facilitate its development, growth and eventual accreditation.

He said that before the relocation of the school, three states – Benue, Kogi and Kwara, were approached to provide land and other infrastructural support for the relocation.

Adekeye said that only Kwara State responded promptly by providing land.

”We expect that with the relocation and upgrading of the school, our medical personnel would now receive better and qualitative training, which will translate to better quality health care for naval personnel and enhance our operational efficiency,” he said.

To ensure quality instruction, he said that substantial investment had gone into providing up-to-date instructional materials and teaching aids in the school.

He also said that the school would soon be affiliated to professional bodies to enable it award appropriate diploma and certificates.

The school, he said, would also extend its services to the host communities of Offa and environs.

The Minister of Defence, Ambassador Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, who inaugurated the school, praised the foresight and commitment of the leadership of the navy.

He said that the importance of training could not be overemphasised in an organisation like the navy.

Aguiyi-Ironsi assured that the Federal Government would continue to support the navy, and indeed the armed forces to be one of the best in the world.

He also stressed the multiplier effect of the school especially for the Offa community.

Oil Prices Fall

Crude oil fell in New York on speculation U.S. fuel prices may ease as refiners increase output to meet summer demand and after oil workers in Nigeria ended a two-day strike.

A U.S. government report showed gasoline production rose to the highest since December, boosting supplies for a third week. U.S. crude oil stockpiles are 7.6 percent above their five-year average, the Energy Department said last week. Nigerian oil workers ended the strike after the government conceded to their demand for more pay and benefits, Reuters reported on May 26.

``Crude oil inventories are just too high in the U.S.,'' said Anthony Nunan, assistant general manager for risk management at Mitsubishi Corp. in Tokyo. ``Run rates are improving, we'll have to see whether demand for gasoline is strong enough to match the increase in runs.''

Crude oil for July delivery fell as much as 47 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $64.73 a barrel, in after-hours electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It was at $64.86 at 3 p.m. in Singapore.

Prices rose $1.02 to $65.20 on May 25, gaining 50 cents in the hour before settlement as investors prepared for the three- day Memorial Day holiday weekend. The exchange is closed for floor trading today. Futures have declined 10 percent in the past year.

Brent crude oil for July settlement was at $70.35 a barrel, down 34 cents, on the London-based ICE Futures exchange at 3:01 p.m. Singapore time. It rose to $71.80 a barrel on May 24, the highest intraday price since Aug. 28, as strikes and kidnappings curbed output in Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer.

Holiday Demand

``Prices are still on the high side because the supply- demand situation isn't quite there yet,'' said Tobin Gorey, commodity strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd. in Sydney. ``It's the unofficial kick-off of the U.S. summer driving season'' and that will keep the focus on gasoline demand and fuel stockpiles, he said.

Gasoline stockpiles on May 18 were 7 percent below the five-year average, according to Energy Department data.

The market lacks direction and investors may be reluctant to trade until the next inventory report provides the gasoline production figures, Gorey said.

Gasoline demand in the U.S., the world's biggest oil consumer, peaks from June to August as summer vacations, starting with today's Memorial Day holiday, put more cars on the road.

More than 38 million Americans will travel 50 miles (80 kilometers) or more from home during the three-day holiday break, 1.7 percent more than last year, the AAA forecast on May 17.

Gasoline Gains

Gasoline for June delivery was at $2.4125 a gallon today after rising 2 percent to $2.4037 a gallon on May 25, a one-week high. The contract expires May 31. The more widely held July contract was at $2.3165 today, after rising 1.9 percent May 25.

``The situation is fairly bullish both on the product side and on the crude side,'' said Antoine Halff, an analyst at Fimat USA in New York. ``We're starting driving season with stocks that are well below the range where they've been the last few years.''

Ample U.S. oil stockpiles have cushioned New York oil futures from supply concerns that pushed Brent crude oil prices to a nine-month high last week.

``Refinery troubles meant there are rising inventories of crude oil and this increased supply is dampening the market,'' said Kaname Gokon, deputy manager of the research section at Okato Shoji Co. in Tokyo.

Nigerian Output

In Nigeria, Africa's biggest oil producer, export loadings were delayed during the strike by about 6,000 union workers at state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Co., union leaders said last week. The workers returned after the government agreed on severance terms for those affected by the sale of the Port Harcourt refinery, Reuters reported.

Sabotage and kidnappings in the oil-rich delta region of Nigeria have surged following last month's presidential elections. Three Americans and four Britons were among a group of oil workers kidnapped in Nigeria on May 25, according to U.S. and U.K. government spokesmen.

The workers were abducted from a pipe-laying vessel off the coast of the Niger Delta near the Brass crude oil export terminal, Reuters said.

Fuel now N75 per litre

The Federal government yesterday increased the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise known as petrol from N65 to N75 per litre. The prices of other products such as the Automative Gas Oil (AGO) or diesel and household kerosene are however not affected as government maintained that the two products have been fully deregulated.

Most of the petrol stations visited within Lagos metropolis and Ibadan in Oyo State sold PMS at N75 a litre and their pump already adjusted accordingly.

There are strong indications that before the end of next month, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar Adua would announce a further decrease in the subsidy from the new level of N20 per litre. The Guardian sources that gave this hint said the action is to enable new investors in the refinery to recoup their money.

The sources added that the pronouncement by the incoming government would also enhance confidence in the international community to invest in the downstream refining sector.

Nigeria Security Update #2 270507

Tuesday Protests Still Planned

We’ll march against Ehindero’s tanks —Labor, opposition groups

The stage appears set weekend for a showdown between the police and a coalition of Labor and Civil Society groups who have scheduled mass action and rallies for Tuesday. The action, to protest alleged fraud in the April elections, coincides with the inauguration of the president-elect, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and the governors-elect in the 36 states.

The opposition, operating under Labor and Civil Society Coalition, LASCO, had proposed a two-day action, tomorrow and Tuesday, to protest against the election results with workers being asked to sit at home tomorrow. But the Federal Government took the wind out of the sail of the sit at home directive as it, Friday, declared tomorrow a public holiday. LASCO, weekend, said it anticipated the government’s action which, according to it, was an acknowledgment of defeat on the stand-off.

The coalition also began the mobilization of Nigerians ahead of the Tuesday mass action by circulating handbills denouncing the polls and the in-coming government in the nation’s major towns including Lagos and Abuja.

Sounding defiant, the group said it was resolved to embark on the action despite the threat by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, to crush it with tanks and every weapon at his disposal.

Speaking on the sit at home directive to Nigerians scheduled for tomorrow against the backdrop of the public holiday declared by government, the convener of the United Action for Democracy, UAD, Mr. Biodun Aremu, said, Friday, that government had, by the action, helped to enforce the directive. Aremu, who is also the secretary of the Joint Action Committee, JAC, the body coordinating the two-day action on behalf of LASCO, said the coalition anticipated the holiday, saying it had not changed LASCO’s plan.

Also elaborating on the Tuesday’s protest action, the Nigeria Labor Congress, NLC, said, Friday, that it would be taking to the streets of Nigeria major towns. NLC assistant secretary, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde, who spoke to Sunday Vanguard, explained: “The protest will now involve us moving into the streets to let government know the level of our displeasure against the fraud that they called elections. It is another way to tell government that Nigerians are fed up with electoral fraud in this country.”

According to him, the Congress had written to some countries to ask them to stay away from the president-elect’s inauguration. Earlier, Friday, NLC President, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, who spoke at a press briefing in Abuja, said the action was to sent a message to government that Nigerians were not happy with the elections that were massively rigged.

“Foreign nationals are similarly advised to obey this stay-at-home directive for they too have a stake here. We need your support and understanding. We want our country to work as good if not better than your own countries,” Omar admonished the foreigners. He went on: “If we do not get it right, our youths will never stop migrating to your countries. If you continue to take sides with criminality, fraud and state violence, we cannot get it right.”

According to him, that the coalition resolved to embark on this despite the threats of clampdown by government and rolling out of tanks by the police was a confirmation of LASCO’s commitment to sustaining democracy. Omar noted that the country’s constitution guarantees Nigerians the freedom of association to protest against any form of imposition by government.

“The tragedy of our situation is that while other countries, including the supposedly less endowed, are moving forward, we are dancing in circles, sometimes backward. The conduct of these elections has taken us several decades back, yet, we are said to be the giant of Africa. No wonder, we are the butt of cruel jokes across the world,” Omar stated.

Handbills circulated by LASCO to mobilize Nigerians for the mass action carried different headlines some of which read, “Chase Away Illegitimate and Anti-Poor Government”, “Sit At Home May 28, 2007 to protest the April 2007 election fraud.”

The message in one of the handbills read: “Labour and Civil Society Coalition believes that Nigerians must not accept this election fraud and must stand up for their right just as LASCO successfully led Nigerians to oppose several increases in the prices of petrol, kerosene and diesel which forced the Obasanjo regime to stop further price increases since 2005.”

Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, is one of the activists at the fore-front of the agitation for mass action over the April election results as he last week declared that the police threat would not stop him from being part of the Tuesday’s protest.

Cautioning Soyinka against being part of the action, weekend, a former commissioner in Lagos State, Dr. Segun Ogundimu said the Nobel laureate would have been expected to display a better understanding and follow a path that is bound to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s growth.

“I also feel disturbed that there are so many Nigerians who are more rascally and caustic tongued than the professor will ever imagine and it will hurt people like us who respect the white bearded fountain of grammar to see him being dragged in the mud,” Ogundimu said in a statement entitled, “Sit at home an unfortunate order.”


Ogoni People Resist Oil Companies - An analysis of animosity

In Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, one area, Ogoniland in Rivers State, resists oil production. Residents there say oil companies refuse to meet their demands to redistribute wealth and protect the environment. VOA's Nico Colombant reports.

Young men walking along roads in Ogoniland stare menacingly at those they consider outsiders, thinking they may be from oil companies.

Dutch-based oil conglomerate Shell stopped operations here in the mid 1990s, amid an international uproar over the execution of anti-oil Ogoni activist Ken Saro-Wiwa by the military government.

Godwin Dumnu, an unemployed father of three, is one of many in Ogoniland who say they will not give up fighting for fair treatment, whatever the consequences. "The Ogoni people demand their bill of rights. When Shell refuses to give us our rights then we will stop them from operating on Ogoni land. Unless they are agreeing to comply with us and do the Ogoni bill of rights, they should develop our youth, and our communities, our area," he said.

Oil insiders say Shell is trying to resume production in Ogoniland. Nigerian authorities have warned the company they may revoke their prospecting license in the area due to inactivity.

Dumnu warns the government and Shell not to do anything without the permission of the Ogoni people. "If the federal government just signs a contract with Shell and they do not give us our rights, there will be trouble. Everybody, every youth, they will not be happy," he said.

Shell officials refused to comment, saying they did not have time to speak to reporters.

A youth leader, Atu Ledum, says the Ogoni have a tradition of non-violence, but that frustration is growing. He points to an area that recently went up in flames after a Shell pipeline burst. There is no production here, but pipelines taking oil from nearby areas still criss-cross Ogoni land. "There was a spillage recently here. There was no clean-up. Shell company just sent people to come and stop the spillage and the light (fire). There was light (fire) burning all over here," he said.

Ledum says when a Shell team came to do a clean up, angry youths nearly rioted. "When they saw the Shell people coming to stop the light (burning), they thought they were coming to drill oil again, which the Ogoni people do not want them to drill, not until they settle the problems at hand," he said.

There is commotion, but little business being done at this vegetable market in B. Dere, another main town of Ogoniland.

Here as elsewhere, Saro-Wiwa is remembered. Speaking in the Gokana language, a market woman says he was a good person, because he asked Shell to pay compensation for environmental degradation.

In the town of Wiiyaakara, while she weaves some mats, Deekor Fepea explains in the Khana language, she would accept the return of oil companies if they guaranteed development. In this small area of about one million people, at least five languages are spoken. Fepea says Ogonis feel marginalized.

But an old fisherman, Friday Ototoh, a father of 18, says he was much happier before oil production started here in the late 1950s, causing pollution in waterways.

He says there was less jealousy and anger, and many more fish in the creeks.

Nigeria Security Update #1 270507

UK foreign office amends travel advice

We strongly recommend all Brits read the following and cross check with their employers, insurance companies etc on safety, security, liability and coverage.

The Foreign Office today revised its travel advice for Nigeria. We are now advising against all travel to the Niger Delta due to the high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks in the area.

The relevant summary points now read:

* We advise against all travel to the Niger Delta (Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States, including Port Harcourt). This is because of the very high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks in these areas. In fourteen separate incidents since January 2006, 30 British nationals and over 180 foreign nationals have been kidnapped in the Niger Delta area and one Briton has been killed. See the Terrorism/Security section of this travel advice for more details.

* If you decide to travel to, or remain in, the Niger Delta you do so at your own risk. The level of consular assistance we can provide is limited. If your presence is essential, it would be reckless to travel to, or remain in, the Niger Delta unless you have taken appropriate professional security advice and have acted upon it. If travelling by road you should use fully protected transport.

* We advise against all but essential travel to Akwa Ibom State because of the high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks in these areas. You should maintain a high level of vigilance at all times, observe the strictest security measures and not travel unnecessarily.

* There is also a risk of kidnapping in other States in south-east Nigeria. On 17 March 2007, two Chinese nationals were taken hostage at Nnewi, Anambra State. See the Terrorism/Security section of this travel advice for more details.

* Localised outbreaks of civil unrest can occur at short notice. Details and advice are circulated via the British High Commission's Community Liaison Officers' network.

Shagari: Niger militants Nigeria's biggest problem

Former civilian president of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, has described militancy in the Niger Delta as the biggest problem facing the country. He advised the in coming administration of Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to employ dialogue in resolving the crisis in the area.

Shagari who spoke as chairman at the special valedictory celebration in honour of Governor Peter Odili of Rivers State to mark the end of his administration said the dialogue he meant was one that would involve exchange of ideas among opposing sides on a neutral ground and level platform.
Such discussion, he said, was capable of finding acceptable solutions to intractable problems leaving each side satisfied.
He counseled those in the riverine areas who see their terrain as disadvantaged and deserving the sympathy
of all in the hinterland to also appreciate the problems of other people.

Shagari said what was needed was a deep appreciation of each other’s problems and putting heads together to tackle them collectively instead of trading blames.

“Perhaps I can be excused to dare suggest that the biggest problem Nigeria faces today, in my humble opinion, is the problem with the militants in the Niger Delta Area. This problem in my own estimation can be resolved amicably through what the President-elect, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua calls dialogue. We need to devise the idea behind dialogue to mean a conference to be held in a neutral ground where the opposing sides can exchange views and ideas on the same level peacefully with a view to finding solutions acceptable to each side.

“This is not a new thing and it will not harm anyone, rather it will benefit all concerned. It is my ardent prayer that both the militants and the new administrations at the state and federal levels should carefully consider this proposal without prejudice," he said.

On the expected sympathy of other parts of the federation to the region, he said, “Some of them do blame the difficult terrain in which it pleased God to place them and their homes and they deserve sympathy and support by their brothers and sisters in the hinter land. They should always bear in mind that it could be the other way round. All we need to do as Nigerians is to try and understand each other’s problems and join hands to tackle them sensibly together as a team."

Speaking at the occasion, Odili said it was an opportunity for him to thank all the forces that had been behind his success as a governor, insisting that he had left an indelible mark in the annals of the state.

He said he had made investments for the state in excess of N45 billion while he was leaving behind N5 billion in “spendable funds” for his successor. He further put the state investment in the Independent Power Project at over N80 billion, adding that selling half of their investment in that sector would fetch above their initial capital in the venture.

He said built roads in all the Local Government areas of the state and opened up new areas, enabling some hitherto inaccessible areas to be open to land transportation.

Odili said he inherited an empty treasury in 1999 while there were backlogs of unpaid allowances and salaries in the ministries which he has now cleared.

“The challenges of governance in 1999 are very different from what Omehia will face after swearing in. In 1999, we met an empty treasury with outstanding allowances and salaries spanning many years. I confronted non existent utility and infrastructure as well as bad security situations which have been addressed now”, he said.

The state judicial officers and legislators took time to eulogise Odili and his contributions to the development of the state in the past eight years.

The governor had in company with the Chief Justice of the Federation (CJN), Justice Idris Kutigi, former Head of State Abdusalami Abubakar, two former CJNs, Muhammadu Lawal Uwais and Saliu Modibo Alfa Belgore, commissioned the N3.4 billion state High Court complex which Odili described as the outcome of a synergy between the executive and the Judiciary.

Nigeria Security Update #3 260507

Striking Oil Workers Back to Work

Oil union officials say the government has agreed to a reasonable pay increase and severance package relating to the privatization of Nigeria's largest oil refinery in Port Harcourt.

Peter Esele, head of the powerful blue-collar union, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, says the unions are still in talks with the government over other issues.

"There was this issue of collective bargain for 2007, which was approved by the NNPC [Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation] board for the staff of NNPC," he said. "Only for us to hear about a week ago that NNPC is going revert to public [service] pay as civil servants and we felt that was unacceptable."

"The only option was for us to down tools. Then yesterday evening, the president finally approved it and so for approving that one, we said we can now come out of it [strike] and continue talks on other issues," he added.

The unions had faulted the government's privatization of state-owned refineries without considering the welfare of workers. The government rejects the accusation.

The strike had threatened oil exports from Africa's leading exporter and worsened fuel shortages across the West African nation in the build up to next week's change of government.

Oil unions will join other unionists in a separate protest planned for Monday and Tuesday against widespread rigging in last month's elections.

Ruling party candidate Umaru Yar'Adua won the disputed presidential ballot and is due to succeed President Olusegun Obasanjo at an inauguration ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, in the unruly oil-rich Niger Delta, militants who kidnapped 10 oil workers on Friday released three of them later in the day.

Three U.S. citizens and four Britons are still being held. More than 100 foreign workers have been abducted in the region this year.

Nigeria Security Update #2 260507

Advice regarding armed robbers from some experienced expatriates

Two members of the Oyibos On Line expatriate website (http://www.oyibosonline.com) have some excellent advice regarding armed robbers such as the 15 who killed an American when they raided the hotel he was staying in.
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All, please try to remember if you find yourself in a bad situation, Try to remain calm, do not look these criminals in the eye, give them what they want, don't make sudden moves and be as passive as the situation dictates which is hard as we all have a survival instinct to fight back as I did once here and learned a lesson, the 2nd time on the road from PH to Eket, well we just gave them everything they wanted and they even took all our clothes including our underwear. Try to get a ride back to PH wearing elephant ear leaves around your waist.

So please, remember that in this crazy time, Armed Robberies are at an all time high, gangs, area boys running wild so be very careful out there and try to travel main roads where possible, don't stay out at night late and be safe. It is unfortunate that this thread is about a death of one of all of us, but we must learn a lesson from what is stated as fact which if it is true he fought back or could have been a natural reaction from being woke up at 2:00 AM from a hard sleep and a person will come up from sleep fighting like hell....
Be Careful Everyone.

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Had robbers in our house at 5.45am one morning,did not argue with them just handed over every thing they asked for, they locked us in the bathroom and left.I don't know why I was calm at the time, probably fear, but 2/3 hours later I could not stop shaking.Tex gave good advice, it was what I was told when I first came here8 years ago and thank God I did not forget.Condolences to the family.

Nigeria oil strike spreads to export terminals

Source: Reuters

Lagos • Nigerian oil unions pulled many staff from crude export terminals on the second day of a strike yesterday, but shipments from the world’s eighth largest exporter were uninterrupted, authorities said.

The strike by union members in the national oil company and the Department of Petroleum Resources, the industry regulator, began on Thursday to protest against the privatization of the country’s largest oil refinery.

The stoppage comes just days before the inauguration of President-elect Umaru Yar’Adua on Tuesday, and is a prelude to a two-day strike planned by all Nigerian trade unions on Monday and Tuesday to protest against rigging in last month’s polls.

“We are withdrawing from export terminals, but everything is still on, on a skeletal basis. We are not shutting down exports yet,” said Peter Esele, leader of the senior staff union Pengassan.

Oil industry sources confirmed that many inspectors had already been withdrawn from oil tanker terminals, which ship about 2.1 million barrels a day.

The strike has already hit domestic fuel supplies, with lengthy fuel queues forming in southern and central Nigeria. Union leaders have said they would target oil production and exports if their demands were not addressed within days.

Talks between the unions and the government failed to get off the ground on Thursday after Energy Minister Edmund Daukoru insisted there would be no negotiations until the strike was called off, unionists said.

“The unions wanted a strong commitment from the government before calling off the strike, but there was no commitment on any of the issues raised,” said Peter Akpatason, president of the junior staff union Nupeng. Another meeting was slated for yesterday.

Shipping agents said between 40 and 45 tankers holding refined products — mainly gasoline and diesel —were waiting at the Lagos port, but it was unclear if the longer-than-usual delays were caused by the strike.

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corp. imports all of Nigeria’s fuel because the country’s four oil refineries are not working, due to poor management and sabotage.

Gas supply to the country’s main thermal power station in Lagos was shut off by the strike, causing longer-than-normal blackouts across the city.

The unions are worried the government has not adequately provided for workers at the 210,000 barrels per day Port Harcourt refinery, which was unexpectedly sold to a consortium of Nigerian and Chinese investors for $561 million last week.

'Boatload' of foreigners seized

So many expatriates are being kidnapped in a short period of time that the Associated Press seems to have stopped counting. Depending on which news service you rely on, between six and 11 hostages have been taken by militants since Thursday.

Gunmen on Friday seized a boatload of foreign oil workers, including three Americans, four Britons and a South African, in the latest violence to hit Nigeria's southern petroleum-producing region, officials said.

Nearly 200 foreign workers have been kidnapped in 18 months of attacks on oil companies and security forces in the Niger Delta, where all the crude is pumped in Africa's biggest producer.

The latest seizures came when gunmen stormed a boat owned by a Nigerian oil-services company as it carried the foreigners in the vast region of mangrove swamps and creeks, security force officials said.

U.S. Embassy officials said three Americans were taken and the British embassy reported four Britons missing after the attack. One South African was also taken, Pretoria said.

Security forces in the region earlier said only six people were kidnapped, including an Indian.

U.S. and British embassy officials spoke on condition of anonymity, citing embassy prohibitions against their names appearing in public.

On Thursday, five gunmen grabbed a Polish worker heading to his construction project in southern Nigeria and rushed the captive into the lawless oil-rich region's swamps and creeks in a speedboat, officials said.

Over a dozen foreigners seized in the region are currently in captivity.

Some 200 foreign workers have been taken since militants stepped up their attacks against the oil companies and government in late 2005, cutting nearly one-third of Nigeria's daily crude production capacity and sending oil prices toward historic highs in oversees markets.

The militants say they are fighting for the liberation of two of their leaders imprisoned on corruption and treason charges and more oil revenues for their impoverished lands.

But in recent months, criminal gangs have taken up the practice of kidnapping foreigners for ransom. Hostages are generally released unharmed after a payment is made to the captors, although two died in the crossfire when security forces intervened.

Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer, an OPEC member, and a top supplier of crude to the United States.

Why kidnap of foreigners won’t stop, by NDFF

THE commander of the Niger-Delta Freedom Fighters (NDFF), aka Egbema One, which kidnapped the four American oil workers of Global Industries, an oil servicing company to the Chevron Nigeria Limited on May 8 in Delta state spoke to Saturday Vanguard in the encampment, where the workers are being held hostage in the creek.
Excerpts:

Why did you people kidnap the four Americans?

Our problem is not with the hostages. We decided to hold them hostage as a means of making the oil companies, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and the government to know that we are neglected. After the discovery of oil in Olobiri, Egbema kingdom was the next and since then, we have not seen any development.

Shell and Chevron have been operating since 1971 and since then, our place has remained undeveloped. The attitude of these three groups made us to take this action because we are being marginalised by them.

Also, we want the detained leader of the Niger-Delta Peoples Volunteer Front (NPDVF), Alhaji Asari-Dokubo, former governor of Bayelsa state, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and Ralph Uwazurike, the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) to be released. Go round and see for yourself, we have no roads in Egbema kingdom where about 95 per cent of oil is produced in Delta state.

We also do not have schools in Egbema kingdom even though we occupy a large section of the state. We need tertiary institutions and employment for the youths of this kingdom.
Besides, we don’t have pipe-borne water in our communities and we want contracts to be awarded to indigenes of Egbema.

These contracts should not be for non-indigenes only while our communities which are facing the threat of being washed away, namely Gbokoda, Opuama and Polobubor should be saved from extinction. We also want them to dredge the canal from Ogbudugbudu-Polobubor and construct the Ogbinbiri-Ofunama-Udo road. Also, we want jetties to be provided to all our communities as well as providing generating plants and building of town halls, market stalls for communities in Egbema kingdom.

We also want commissioners to be appointed from Egbema, GSM masts to be installed in our area, teachers to be provided for our primary and secondary schools. Papa when say make im pikin no sleep, himself no go sleep because the pikin go dey cry and disturb the papa.
But all these things you enumerated are not things the oil companies would do, it is the duty of the government to provide them...

We know that the government is supposed to provide these things for us but the oil companies are making a lot of money from our environment and they are stashing the money abroad. Are you saying that it is not part of their social responsibility to provide some of these things for us. Or which ones have they done?

We know where to hold the government but when we talk about job slots for us in the oil companies, it is the companies we will hold, not the government. You see, our action is not directed at the Chevron alone, it is to the oil companies operating in our area and also for the government to wake up to their responsibilities.

If you say there are no hospitals here, where are sick people taken to?

That is one of our greatest problems. We have to travel a distance of over three hours to take the sick ones to Warri and Sapele. You know what that means; about 1,000 people die every year as a result.

But the Chevron oil company used to visit the oil communities with their houseboat clinics...
That was in the past, we don’t see them again

Why are you holding the oil companies when there is a government agency, the NDDC that was set up to develop the oil communities?

That one, we don’t know what they are doing. They said that they awarded contract for the Udo-Ofunama-Azakurama-Zamagie-Ogbudugbudu-Ogbinbiri –Abere road about two years ago and after the survey was done two years ago, we have not seen them.

Do you know that kidnapping people as your group had just done is a criminal act?

Government and the oil companies can say whatever they want to say about what we are doing (being a criminal act) but we know we are no criminals. The companies take our oil, make money for themselves and the government without taking us into consideration. They invaded our land and took our oil and yet, they call us criminals for saying that they should not continue taking our oil without developing our environment.

You know the Americans and other foreign oil workers have only come here to work, what do you think will happen if Americans in turn start kidnapping Nigerians that had gone to work there too?

Look, it is not really that we want to pick white people as hostages but the truth is that the black man does not have hostage value; I don’t know if you understand what I mean. It is the only the expatriates that have hostage value and we kidnap them because we don’t like seeing them working here while our graduates are left unemployed by the oil companies.

You are calling for development, how can the government bring development to the region when you are causing tension with the kidnapping of oil workers and bombing of oil installations?

If they really say that they will develop the Niger-Delta region, kidnapping will stop. We will even protect the foreign oil workers for them.

But President Obasanjo said long ago that they want to develop the region but the real problem is that you people continue to kidnap oil workers.

He did not mean it. If he meant it, he would not be calling us criminals, he knows that we are fighting for our rights. When the government means it, we will know and we will stop it (kidnapping) for them to do what they have promised. Right now, they promised but didn’t fulfill what they had said. That is the problem.

I learnt that Egbema One kidnapped the Americans in order to be paid ransom. Is this not true?

That is not the truth. We did not kidnap for money. I told you the reasons why we kidnapped the Americans. Or don’t you believe me? We want development in Egbema kingdom.

So, when are you going to be release them?

We will release them anytime Chevron signs agreement with us on the development projects they will site in our place with the government as observer, just to witness what they have said.

What guarantee are you giving Nigerians and the US government in particular concerning the safety of the Americans in your custody?

They are safe, we will not harm them but if they try to send the Joint Task Force to come here to release them by force, then, there will be bloodshed. But as long as they tell us what they will do for us, we will hand them over safely, nothing will happen to them.

Nigeria Security Update #1 260507

Reuters state new hostage total

Gunmen kidnapped nine foreign oil workers and a Nigerian colleague from a ship off the coast of Nigeria on Friday, police said, bringing the total number of foreign hostages in the country to 25.

The abductions come amid an upsurge in violence against international oil companies operating in the Niger Delta, an impoverished wetlands region in southern Nigeria which is home to Africa's biggest oil industry.

Suspected militants in two speed boats exchanged fire with security guards on the vessel during the kidnapping, which took place off the southern state of Bayelsa.

"Some armed men attacked an oil facility and abducted nine foreigners and one Nigerian," a spokesman for Bayelsa state police said.

Industry sources said the workers -- three Americans, four Britons, a South African, a Filipino and a Nigerian -- were seized from a pipe laying vessel contracted to Nigerian oil company Conoil.

The raid came a day after gunmen kidnapped a Polish engineer near the oil city of Warri, also in the Niger Delta.

Abductions for ransom or to press political demands are frequent in the delta, where there is widespread resentment against an industry that has extracted billions of dollars in oil wealth but left most people living in poverty.

Oil production from Nigeria, the world's eighth biggest exporter, is down by about 700,000 barrels per day or almost a quarter because of an 18-month surge in violence.

Unrest has peaked in the weeks running up to a change of government scheduled to take place on Tuesday, when President Olusegun Obasanjo hands over to President-elect Umaru Yar'Adua.

Militants demanding regional control over oil revenues, compensation for oil spills and freedom for two jailed leaders from the region, see the handover as an opportunity to extract concessions from the central government.

But crime flourishes in the lawless delta and most abductions are motivated by money. About 100 foreigners have been kidnapped this year and released unharmed after their employers paid ransoms.


Another source - another hostage count...

AFP: Gunmen have kidnapped several oil workers in southern Nigeria, at least eight of them expatriates, police and diplomatic sources said Friday.

One diplomat, who asked not to be identified, said the foreigners included four Britons, three US nationals, one South African and "possibly a Filipino".

At the same time it was revealed that a Polish engineer had been abducted Thursday in Warri, an oil town in the Niger Delta.

In London a spokesman for the Foreign Office confirmed that four Britons were among those seized Friday.

The Foreign Office spokesman said no more details were immediately available.

Bayelsa State police commissioner Julian Okpaleke said he had sent a team to the area where the incident took place, in Brass, but they had not reported back by early afternoon.

The attack is the latest in a series mainly attributed to militants seeking a greater share of the region's oil wealth.

Industry sources said the attack was carried out by 15 gunmen in two boats shortly before 7:00 am (06H00 GMT) Friday offshore from Sangana community in Bayelsa.

It was not immediately clear which company operates the vessel that was attacked nor who employed the men seized.

In the meantime Major Omale Ochagwuba, a spokesman for the Joint Task Force, the military unit in charge of policing the Niger Delta, said the Pole, whom he did not identify, was the chief engineer of Pacific Dredging and Marine Ltd., a company based in Warri.

"He was kidnapped in Orugdo creek near Warri by about six gunmen on a boat. He was on his own without any security, we don't know what he was doing there," Ochagwuba said, adding that his men were trying to locate the kidnappers.

Since the start of this month around 40 expatriates linked to the oil industry have been seized in southern Nigeria by a variety of different groups. Most have already been released.

Country Warnings

From the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Interesting is that they mention Shell Evacuated their staff, while Shell keeps calling it relocation.


Samenvatting
In verband met de huidige situatie in Nigeria worden momenteel alle reizen naar de deelstaten Akwa Ibom, Delta, Bayelsa en Rivers ten zeerste ontraden.

Voorts kan in Nigeria met uitzondering van de hieronder genoemde onveilige gebieden (zie onder ‘Onveilige gebieden’) en met inachtneming van het onderstaande reisadvies worden gereisd. U dient in het hele land extra waakzaam te zijn.

De slechte economische situatie en etnische en religieuze spanningen leiden vaak tot ongeregeldheden. Gewapende overvallen en agressie op de openbare weg zijn aan de orde van de dag en vinden vooral ook na zonsondergang plaats. Ontvoeringen van buitenlanders komen in het Niger Delta gebied veelvuldig voor.

In de aanloop naar de inauguratie van de nieuwe president van Nigeria op 29 mei aanstaande, is er een verhoogd risico voor politieke demonstraties in Nigeria, waardoor de veiligheidssituatie kan verslechteren. Dit beperkt zich niet alleen tot het Niger Delta gebied. De Nederlandse Ambassade in Abuja volgt de ontwikkelingen op de voet. U wordt geadviseerd de media te volgen.

De veiligheidssituatie binnen de Nigeriaanse luchtvaart blijft zorgelijk. De uitzonderingen hierop lijken de volgende maatschappijen te zijn (zie onder ‘ Algemeen’): in eerste instantie Aero Contractors en in tweede instantie Virgin Nigeria.

Actualiteiten
In de Niger Delta zijn politieke spanningen tussen de overheid en de lokale bevolking (en ook tussen de lokale bevolking onderling), die kunnen uitlopen op gewelddadigheden met soms dodelijke afloop. Deze situatie komt voort uit meningsverschillen over wie mag beschikken over de opbrengsten uit de olie- en gaswinning. Deze gewelddadigheden komen overal in het gebied voor en zijn niet voorspelbaar. Deze spanningen kunnen in de aanloop naar de inauguratie van de nieuwe president op 29 mei aanstaande verder toenemen. Alle reizen naar de Niger Delta worden ontraden.

Ontvoeringen van expats, overvallen en schietpartijen komen regelmatig voor. Eind 2006 zijn twee autobommen ontploft: een op de parkeerplaats van Shell en de andere tegen de muur van het terrein van Agip. Dientengevolge heeft Shell besloten alle familieleden van de voor Shell werkzame expatriates tot nader orde te evacueren. In Port Harcourt gaan de meeste expatriates nog maar slechts in konvooi de stad in.

Alle reizen naar de Niger Delta worden ten zeerste ontraden. Indien u desondanks in de Niger Delta verblijft, wordt u het volgende aangeraden:

Volg de veiligheidsrichtlijnen van het bedrijf, waarvoor u werkzaam bent, strikt op.
Volg ontwikkelingen op de voet, zowel via goed geïnformeerde personen in uw omgeving als via de diverse nieuwsbronnen.
Wees extra waakzaam op ongewone situaties in uw directe omgeving.
Stel u voor iedere verplaatsing in het gebied goed op de hoogte van de actuele situatie op uw reisroute, en breng anderen op de hoogte van uw reisplannen.
Vermijd reizen na het invallen van de duisternis.
Hoewel het grensgeschil tussen Nigeria en Kameroen inmiddels is opgelost, kan onrust op het Bakassi schiereiland (Cross River State) niet worden uitgesloten.

Religieuze spanningen tussen moslims en christenen, vooral in het noorden van Nigeria, leiden zo nu en dan, onvoorspelbaar, tot gewelddadige rellen. Zo was in april 2007 de stad Kano het toneel van onlusten.

Onlusten als gevolg van etnische en religieuze tegenstellingen (moslims en christenen) kunnen voor onveiligheid in het zuidwesten van Plateau State zorgen.

De gebeurtenissen in Irak en Afghanistan roepen weerstand op bij bepaalde groepen Nigeriaanse moslims, waardoor een kritische opstelling ten opzichte van westerlingen niet is uit te sluiten.

Vogelgriep
De WHO (World Health Organisation) ziet op dit moment geen aanleiding om vanwege de recente ontwikkelingen inzake de vogelgriep reizen naar Nigeria te ontraden. Het is, gezien de gestage uitbreiding van het virus over Nigeria, echter van belang dat de nodige voorzorgsmaatregelen worden genomen. (zie nadere informatie over de vogelgriep).Voor actuele informatie over de landen waar het vogelgriepvirus is uitgebroken wordt verwezen naar www.who.int.

Algemeen
In verband met de maatschappelijke structuur van Nigeria is adequate consulaire bijstand op alle gebied niet altijd mogelijk.

In steeds meer moslim-deelstaten wordt de islam-orthodoxe sharia-wetgeving ingevoerd, die bijvoorbeeld nog lijfstraffen kent.

Het is raadzaam het slechte openbaar vervoer te mijden.

Binnenlands luchtverkeer
De veiligheidssituatie binnen de Nigeriaanse luchtvaart blijft zorgelijk. De uitzonderingen hierop lijken de volgende maatschappijen te zijn: in eerste instantie Aero Contractors en in tweede instantie Virgin Nigeria.

Terrorisme
In februari 2003 heeft Osama Bin Laden de ‘faithful muslims’ opgeroepen zich te richten tegen de Nigeriaanse overheid. In het noorden van Nigeria is sprake van ad hoc acties van zich ‘Taliban’ noemende moslim-strijders.
De algemene terroristische dreiging is laag. De kans dat een eventuele dreiging zich zal richten tegen de olie-industrie kan niet worden uitgesloten.

Zware criminaliteit
De georganiseerde misdaad is actief. Overvallen, autodiefstal en berovingen zijn aan de orde van de dag. Vuurwapengebruik en schermutselingen met de politie zijn daarbij geen uitzondering. Veel berovingen en afpersing komen voor op de openbare weg. Financiële fraude - ondermeer voorstellen voor zakentransacties die te mooi zijn om waar te zijn en misbruik van financiële gegevens en creditcards - is een veel voorkomend verschijnsel.

Een nieuw fenomeen is om de ‘ciber partner’ in Nederland te laten weten dat de ‘ciber partner’ in Nigeria in het ziekenhuis is beland. De ‘ciber partner’ in Nederland wordt dan verzocht geld over te maken om de ziekenhuisrekening te betalen. Indien men ingaat op een dergelijk verzoek, dan zullen er meer verzoeken volgen voor het overmaken van geld, om welke reden dan ook (transport van ziekenhuis naar huis, nieuw paspoort, ticket om bij de partner te komen, etc.).

Met name op en rond de internationale vliegvelden, maar ook bij de grote hotels, opereren criminelen die zich voor afhalers uitgeven. Deze criminelen ontvreemden bagage of ontvoeren de onervaren reiziger en ontdoen hem - in het gunstigste geval - van al zijn bezittingen.

Onveilige gebieden
- Alle uitvalswegen/doorgaande wegen in stad en land en openbare ruimten (markten, busstations e.d.), vooral na het invallen van de duisternis.

- Zeepiraterij is in de kustwateren (Niger Delta) en zelfs daarbuiten (Golf van Guinea, Bocht van Benin) een normaal verschijnsel. Belangrijke doelen zijn “off shore” olie- en gasinstallaties.

- Niger-Delta gebied.

- Bepaalde delen van de grote steden.

Voorts worden in verband met de huidige situatie alle reizen naar de deelstaten Akwa Ibom, Delta, Bayelsa en Rivers ontraden. U dient in het hele land extra waakzaam te zijn.

Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken
Bezuidenhoutseweg 67
Postbus 20061
2500 EB Den Haag
Tel.: 070-3 486 486
Fax: 070-3 484 848
Internet: www.minbuza.nl

BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE AMENDS TRAVEL ADVICE (25/05/07)


The Foreign Office today revised its travel advice for Nigeria. We are now advising against all travel to the Niger Delta due to the high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks in the area.


The relevant summary points now read:

We advise against all travel to the Niger Delta (Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States, including Port Harcourt). This is because of the very high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks in these areas. In fourteen separate incidents since January 2006, 30 British nationals and over 180 foreign nationals have been kidnapped in the Niger Delta area and one Briton has been killed. See the Terrorism/Security section of this travel advice for more details.


If you decide to travel to, or remain in, the Niger Delta you do so at your own risk. The level of consular assistance we can provide is limited. If your presence is essential, it would be reckless to travel to, or remain in, the Niger Delta unless you have taken appropriate professional security advice and have acted upon it. If travelling by road you should use fully protected transport.


We advise against all but essential travel to Akwa Ibom State because of the high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks in these areas. You should maintain a high level of vigilance at all times, observe the strictest security measures and not travel unnecessarily.


There is also a risk of kidnapping in other States in south-east Nigeria. On 17 March 2007, two Chinese nationals were taken hostage at Nnewi, Anambra State. See the Terrorism/Security section of this travel advice for more details.


Localised outbreaks of civil unrest can occur at short notice. Details and advice are circulated via the British High Commission's Community Liaison Officers' network.