Nigeria Security Update #1 240707

Telephone Scheme Targets Expats & Wealthy (U.S. Consulate - Lagos)

This Warden Message is being issued to inform American citizens of a relatively new scheme to defraud members of the public. This scheme appears to target the middle and upper classes of Nigerian society, as well as the expatriate community. It capitalizes on individual fears and perceptions with respect to the present security situation in Nigeria.

How it Works:

· A potential target receives a phone call or text message on his/her mobile phone saying that the caller/sender and his gang have been paid to kill the target or a member of his/her family.

· The person is told he/she is receiving the warning because he/she is a nice person and the caller does not want to kill him/her.

· The potential scam victim is then advised either to drop off a set amount of money in cash at a pre-designated spot, or to deposit the money in a bank account, or to send recharge cards of the same amount to a mobile number. The scammer will tell the potential target that his/her safety cannot be guaranteed if he/she does not pay as directed.

· The individual is warned never to report this to the police, as his/her movements are being monitored by a member of the gang.

In the event that you receive this type of call/message, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria recommends that you take the following actions:

· Remain calm;

· Attempt to gain as much information as you can about the caller; and

· Immediately report the call to the Nigerian police.

Anyone receiving such a threat via an e-mail is advised to contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov/. For more information about this and other financial scams, please read the U.S. State Department's "International Financial Scams" brochure which may be found at

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/financial_scams/financial_scams_3155.html.

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

For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs internet website at

http://travel.state.gov/, where the current Worldwide Caution, Public Announcements, and

Travel Warnings can be found. Up to date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or, for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays.)

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

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

Website: http://nigeria.usembassy.gov



Rivers Commissioner Target of Assassination (This Day)

A few hours after Governor Celestine Omehia swore in 23 Commissioners to form his cabinet, one of them, Mr. Billy Braide Eldre, who is the Commissioner for Energy, has escaped assasination.

According to the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu, an unidentified man celebrating his appointment with the family at the commissioner's home in Diobu, Port Harcourt was shot dead in the bid.

"He was celebrating with his friends in his Diobu residence when the gunmen arrived apparently to assasinate him. They started shooting and in the process killed a man who came to celebrate with him", Ogbaudu explained.

He said the gunmen retreated immediately after their bid to kill Eldre failed and escaped before the police from Diobu Station could arrive at the scene.
He told THISDAY that the Commissioner was not hurt in the incident but did not say where he has been kept to ensure that those who made the attempt on his life do not come back.

It was not clear how many people were wounded in the attack as the gunmen were said to have sprayed the compound with bullets during the attack.

Meanwhile, Governor Omehia has attributed the four-hour delay of the inauguration of the state cabinet to what he described as “damning security reports” against some of the nominees.

At least, two of the Commissioner nominees screened were not sworn but details of those affected were not available as Omehia did not elaborate on the issue which he mentioned in passing during the swearing in ceremony.



Kidnapping Threats Continue (Vanguard)

THE Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND declared, yesterday, that there would be no immediate end to hostage taking in the Niger Delta region unless the Federal Government was prepared to wipe out corrupt practices.

It also vowed to check the abuse of hostage taking in the region.
MEND also counseled the administration of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua not to be deceived by calls in some quarters for the creation of a Niger Delta Ministry which, according to MEND, would just be another bureaucratic waste pipe.
These and some other issues were raised in a statement issued by MEND through an e-mail to media houses yesterday.

The statement, in an interview format: The government under President Yar’Adua and Vice President Yar’Adua has made it clear that they would treat the Niger Delta as high priority. What does your group think about this? Will you be willing to work closely with the government towards resolving the current unrest in the Niger Delta?

“We have repeatedly sounded out that we will work closely with emerging realities and evolving processes. We demanded the release of Dokubo-Asari as a pre-requisite for the beginning of any negotiation with the Nigerian state which have for decades subjected our people to untold measures of neglect, oppression and marginalisation. We did not and have never said that the release of Dokubo-Asari would mean an end to agitations for the liberation and emancipation of our people.

So far, not good enough. However said, we are waiting in grim impatience. The future and whatever it brings will tell if we are satisfied or not.
Recently an Ijaw group presented a list of demands to President Yar’Adua. Do these demands represent what your men require to declare a complete truce with the Nigerian government?

Any Ijaw man with access to Aso Rock has the right to present any demand to Yar’Adua. There is nothing wrong with that. However, they are laid down structures of leadership in Ijaw land and we will never be party to any attempt by anyone to undermine the integrity and capability of any Ijaw organisation.

Anyway, we believe that the leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) are in a better position to comment on this. They are educated enough to articulate the position of the Ijaw ethnic nationality. The INC is headed by a Professor and has a secretary who has a Ph.D.

You may wish to contact them as to the veracity of this claim.
The government and multinational oil corporations agree that the Niger Delta has truly been neglected for very long now. Some schools of thought believe that the creation of a Ministry of Niger Delta will speed up development in the Niger Delta. What is your view on this?
The cursed agitation for the creation of a Ministry of Niger Delta is the handiwork of a ‘fifth columnist’ group within the Ijaw and Niger Delta territory made up of disgruntled politicians, demented elites and position seekers.

Their strategic objection is the deliberately stall development in the Niger Delta by demanding for a bureaucracy prone ministry of the Niger Delta when there are already interventionist agencies such as the Niger Delta Basin Development Authority and more recently the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

If the government of the Nigerian state is sincere about its professed intention to give priority attention to the Niger Delta, then it must duly empower these existing agencies and interventionist institutions to effectively carry out their assigned mandates. This includes ensuring that all the resources required by the Niger Delta Development Commission to fully roll out its Master Plan is made available to it.

The government can then set up a compliance monitoring structure to monitor and ensure that the Commission is meeting up agreed milestones as stated in the Master Plan.

N2 Billion Earmarked to Combat Street Crime (Vanguard)

THE Lagos State government has approved N2 billion for the immediate expansion, re-organisation, re-kiting and re-motivation of the police anti robbery outfit in the state -- the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) -- as part of new strategy to protect life and property in the state.

A separate N256 million was approved for the procurement of Science and Introductory Technology equipment for 40 public secondary schools across the state.

In effect, 231 new Toyota Hillux vehicles are to be procured to effectively cover the 34 new sectors and 211 new RRS points throughout the state into which the squad has been re-structured. Besides, all officers and men of the RRS are to be provided with comprehensive insurance cover, improved special duty allowances and new sets of uniform while a new ultra-modern communication system to link all police formations in the state is to be installed.

Other measures taken by the state government so far to improve the security situation in the state include the setting up of a high-powered State Security Advisory Committee with representatives of all arms of the security community and other critical stakeholders as members; re-introduction of joint military-police patrol of the state set to take off soon; intensification of patrol of black spots by the state police command with hundreds of criminals arrested in the last few weeks and renewed clampdown on area boys and other undesirable elements by the State Task Force on Environmental and Miscellaneous Offences.

n the education sector, 15 Senior Secondary Schools are to receive science equipment worth N152.2 million, while 25 Junior Secondary Schools will be supplied with Intro-Tech equipment valued at over N103 million.

The state Task Force on the Rehabilitation of Public Schools has since 2004 spent approximately N6 billion on the provision of additional 4,000 new classrooms in 320 public schools across the state including emergency repairs, provision of roofs, school walls, drainages as well as laboratory and classroom furniture in another batch of 256 schools.

Other issues deliberated by the State Executive Council include radical solution to the problem of protracted traffic jam; the planned massive greening of Lagos metropolis and modalities for the institution of a sustainable Lagos State micro-finance initiative for the entrepreneurial poor as a major poverty alleviation initiative.

Nigeria Security Update #1 190707

Lagos BRT - Disaster in the Making? (This Day)

Since the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) started creating another traffic lane for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) between Mile 12 to CMS, commuters have not been finding it easy on the Lagos-Ikorodu road which was constructed over 30 years ago.

However, the roads when completed will rely on the use of dedicated 'interference' free segregated lanes to guarantee fast and reliable bus travel times. Though apart from the BRT, there are other major components the Lagos Urban Transport Project (LUTP) is concerned with, which will be implemented with $100 million credit from the World Bank.

These include, institutional strengthening and capacity building; urban road network efficiency improvement, bus services enhancement, water and non-motorised transport promotion and rail mass rapid transit. The BRT, which is said to be a good idea if there is good design for it right from the scratch, however has been widely criticised. The on-going project has been given a poor mark by many as a result of increased road accident, especially along the Ikorodu road, where the first phase of the BRT project has started.

On the other hand, traffic congestion, incessant breakdown of vehicles either as a result of over-heating and other mechanical problems equally compounds the situation on the ever busy road. Speaking on the project, Prof. Oluwole Adegbenro, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Lagos (UNILAG), said that it doesn't require one to be an engineer or a professional to know the implications of demarcating the roads.

He said, "It is obvious that when you design a road there are many things that are taken into account. The road carrying capacity and the traffic size that it has been designed for. So when all of that has been done and the road has been put in place then you now want to modify it, you have to go back to the drawing board to address some issues about the implications of the new modification and its consequence.

"For instance, if I have a building that was not originally planned to carry another building on top, and somebody is tempted to put another building up there. Definitely it will create a lot of problems. There could be structural failures. So you can't do that kind of thing. You must go back to re-design and make sure that what you are going to modify can adequately cope. If it can't cope, then you have to do additional work".

Essentially, he said what the operators of the BRT could have done, is to build additional roads either underneath or on top to take care of the new innovation. "You cannot just put a new innovation into an old system. I mean it will cause a lot of chaos. We have seen part of it already", Adegbenro emphasised. But at the back of his mind, he said it takes many years to build such new system that will accommodate the new design.

Prof. Sulaiman Owolabi Talabi, Head of Department, Mechanical Engineering, also of Unilag, said the demarcating of the roads was un-called for as the project has compounded traffic in an already worsened situation in Lagos. Instead of building the calve or demarcation, he said all the operators of the BRT could have done is to put double yellow line and then test-run the project the way they envisioned and allow the people to see the outcome.

"You see with this curve they are laying right now, am suspicious that it is not going to work. Even danfos and molues will possibly use the BRT lanes when their vehicles break down because one cannot afford to stay in-between because they are not more lanes remaining", he said.

He said the construction is already affecting the economy because a lot of man hour is spent on the road as a result of heavy traffic. With the two service lanes left for other buses and other road users it is obvious that it will be inadequate to accommodate them, he argued.

"I believe they did not do a lot of feasibility studies and I also believe that the BRT road is too narrow for the vehicles they want to put there. And I am sure that within six months the vehicles will have dents and which may be affecting their tyres", Talabi told THISDAY.

Talabi suggested that the project should be suspended, while they try a pilot scheme for about six months and get some ideas. For Adengbenro, the BRT project will not stand the test of time because vehicle traffic on the road will always be on the increase despite the new transport system.

"By putting barriers may not even stop other road users using the BRT road, because circumstances may arise that will demand the use of the road either by force or pressure from commuters. Also there are other areas where BRT will not cover. So when you get there, what do you do.

"The solutions government is trying to proffer, hopefully will work but by and large, they are reasons to believe that it will not work. Scientifically and technologically, it is not going to work. It will lead us to nowhere and later we will start thinking of the right thing to do", Adegbenro said.

However, despite criticism trailing the BRT project, LAMATA's Managing Director, Mr. Dayo Mobereola, insisted on telling people the core benefits of the BRT buses. The buses which is expected to run on separate lanes he explained, will make buses run faster in a situation where there is traffic congestion. Also, there will be a stable fare which will not be subject to adhoc increase.

According to LAMATA's view, Ikorodu road is no longer an expressway which it was when it was constructed earlier. It has now been categorised as an urban route which has brought the need for users to maintain low speed limit. On what sounds as experts view, Mobereola suggested that if all motorists drive sensibly, observe road signs and care for other road users, traffic will flow on Ikorodu road at a speed commensurate with urban function of the road.

BRT, according to him is not a new trend in the world as many countries have adopted the innovation as a means of reducing traffic congestions. Countries like Hong Kong, Mexico, Kuala Lumber and Bangkok have similar projects with different capital cost and capacity.

To support his argument on why Lagos deserve the BRT as soon as possible, he said that the population of Lagos State has risen to about 15 to 17 million people, with about six million passenger trip per day. Also, that there are 224 vehicles/km on national average, two to three hour journey time during peak periods and finally, that Lagos record about 75,000 danfo/molue in un-regulated operations.

Though Lagos State Government in 2003 set up LAMATA to plan, regulate and develop public transport infrastructure in Lagos, however they are still faced with challenges. These include, absence of articulated and adopted policy and strategic framework for the transport sector; too many agencies responsible for transport provision and services in Lagos, leading to jurisdictional confusion; poor enforcement of traffic regulations and absence of standard procedures for technical and economic evaluation of programmes and projects.

Others are congestion; too many drivers and owners transport operators; undisciplined behaviour of drivers; swinging changes in fare levels; lack of modern transport infrastructure; poor road condition and inadequacy of funds. Nonetheless, Mobereola said that BRT will be characterised by use of segregated lanes, closed stations, use of comfortable and high capacity vehicles. Others are frequent services on every one to two minutes, pre-board ticket purchase and inspection and use of intelligent transport system.

As things appear presently, it expected that commuters plying the Ikorodu road will soon heave a sigh of relieve going by what the Technical Advisor, Public Transport and Traffic Management, Mr. Gbenga Dairo said. He revealed that operations on the Mile 12 to CMS road will commence on August with 180 high capacity buses. For now, the buses will be operated by LAGBUS and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) with hours of operation between 6 to 10 pm daily.

On the fears entertained by the public on the BRT road, Dairo promised that they have been taken care of. For instance, when completed, well trained and equipped security personal will be attached to each bus shelter stations, while LASTMA's role on traffic management will increase. To further ensure there is proper flow of traffic, BRT will also provide monitoring team to complement the operation of other traffic agencies.

In addition to that, Dairo explained that LAMATA has a franchise agreement to ensure that buses comply with the new regulation to guide transportation in Lagos metropolis. Not only on the roads, he said on-street parking, side-street trading and less speed limit will be monitored. At nights, he promised that there will be provision of lightings that will aid driving at such a period.

Adegbenro is not impressed by the LAMATA operators' explanation. He said when something of such nature is to be done, what the operators should do is to take views from all manners of people and carry everybody along. He said such sampling of opinions will either reveal whether such a project will work or not.

"If BRT really want to do a good job, it is not what they would rush into. What feasibility studies have they done to know the implication of what they are doing. Have they involved people from engineering, designers, planners and even people in population control on how to reduce the population of certain areas so that the pressure will not be much on the those roads.

"But even if they have done that, did they subject it to a reasonable time frame to know whether it will work or not. Probabaly people are saying that it is political anyway. But am not sure that the people they are designing it for will enjoy the benefits. At the end of the day, I will be pessimistic not because of any other reason than a thorough job ought to have been done. Even the implementation strategy has to be worked out so that it doesn't encroach on the existing roads", Adegbenro said.

Nearly 54 Million Nigerians Go to Bed Hungry (This Day)

Reports have revealed that 53.6 million Nigerians, or nearly one-third of the nation's 140 citizens, go to bed hungry every night. Also in Sub-Sahara Africa, 31 million people allegedly go to bed hungry every night, while around 854 million people across the world undergo the same hunger process.

Above worrisome statistics formed part of the reason why a campaign against hunger was launched last week in Nigeria.

The campaign, titled 'Hunger-Free Campaign' was kicked off by ActionAid Nigeria, in conjunction with some other civil society organisations.

The event which held in Abuja was witnessed by a crowd made up of the nation's labour movement, members of international and national non-governmental organisations and youth activists.

Speaking at the rally held at the Old Parade Ground, Area 11, Abuja, ActionAid Nigeria Country Director, Dr. Otive Igbuzor explained that hunger is a very painful experience.

In a statement issued by Mr. Tunde Aremu of ActionAid, the rights group leader said, "hunger is a very painful experience, especially when you are hungry not because you are fasting, when you are hungry not because you are too busy to eat, but you are hungry because you have nothing to eat".

At an event which was reportedly marred by violence and alleged harassment by some task force officials, Igbuzor, quoting from statistics from the Nigeria's official Bureau of Statistics, said "53.6 million Nigerians go to bed hungry every night. This translates to one in every three Nigerians going to bed hungry".

"It is outrageous that in this world we live in now, where we have enormous resources, where we have enormous technology that can feed the entire world, we have 854 million people across the world going to bed hungry every night. We are saying this is un-acceptable. In Sub-Sahara Africa, we have 31 million people going to bed hungry every night", he disclosed.

According to him, "this situation is unacceptable in a country that is the sixth largest exporter of crude oil in the world. This is a country that has enormous human and material resources".

The ActionAid Nigeria chieftain reiterated the commitment of his organisation, her partners, the United Nations agencies, Nigeria central labour movement, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Union of Teachers, National Council of Women Societies, the Federal Capital Territory (F.C.T.) rural communities and poor people in the country to fighting to end poverty.

Other speakers at the campaign launch include, labour activists, representatives of the rural communities around the FCT, some representatives of women groups and youths.

The Hunger-Free campaign reportedly moved in a convoy through the main street of Abuja to create awareness on the issue of hunger, which is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expected to be successfully tackled by 2015.

To express support for the campaign, popular Nigerian actress and minority rights activist, Hilda Dokubo has also called for a hunger-free Nigeria.

The actress who spoke at a global youth campaign against hunger (Activista) held at the University of Jos, North Central Nigeria, told a crowd of students, youth activists and other performing artistes that they all need to come together to fight hunger in the oil rich nation.

Dokubo said "I do not know how you woke up this morning, but I know how over 30 million children did not sleep at all. I do not know if you have had some meals today, but I know how seven out of every ten children in my area of this country do not eat". The actress, who has been engaged in development works especially in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria, gave a graphic detail of the situation of poverty and hunger in the area, where she hails from.

Hilda Dokubo, a very famous actress in the Nigerian film industry, said, "seven out of ten children do not go to school. Whereas, 67 per cent of children elsewhere go to school, 70 per cent of children in my area do not go to school. The hospitals are simply inaccessible. Our roads are more of death traps".

Also, Obo Effanga of ActionAid Nigeria and Coordinator of Activista in Nigeria explained that "Activista is a global youth movement campaigning in ten countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America against hunger".

According to him, the movement is an initiative of ActionAid International to raise the awareness of youths all over the world to the realities of hunger; as well a way of raising the consciousness of the youths globally to the cause and effect of hunger.

"We want to tell the whole world that there is so much hunger in the world today. We are hungry and we are angry. This situation is unacceptable," Effanga said.

Port Harcourt Refinery Sale in Question (Vanguard)

BLUESTAR Consortium, comprising the business interest of Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Mr. Femi Otedola, has pulled out of its purchase of the Kaduna and Port Harcourt Refineries, belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The implication is that Nigerians may have to contend with the problems associated with imported petroleum products for much longer.

The consortium is also demanding the refund of the of $721 million (about N92.288 billion) it paid for 51 per cent equity interest in both refineries, from the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE).

The consortium had emerged the preferred bidder in a competitive exercise which saw them submit a bid of $150 million for 51 per cent equity in the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) and $561 million for 51 per cent equity in the Port Harcourt Refining Company.

The remaining 49 per cent was to remain in the control of the NNPC on behalf of the Federal Government.

Vanguard gathered that Bluestar served notice of its decision to discontinue the transaction in a July 17, 2007 letter to the BPE, citing untoward criticisms of its move to acquire controlling interest in the refineries.

In the last nationwide strike called by organised Labour to protest hike in fuel prices and VAT, the sale of the refineries was tabled as one of the issues in contention.

The NNPC had in a submission before the Senate ad-hoc Committee probing the sale of the refineries stated that it was not carried along in the transactions leading to the sale and that it could run the plants efficiently and make it operate at 90 per cent installed capacity if given the opportunity.

However, Bluestar Consortium, in its letter to the BPE, noted that since the NNPC claimed it could run the refineries efficiently, a period of 12 months be given to the corporation to make good its claim.

Similarly, militants in the Niger Delta had in a statement decried the circumstances surrounding the sale of the Port Harcourt Refining Company, pointing out that they would rather blow it up than have it run by “strange elements.”

An official of Bluestar who did not want his name in print said the consortium felt it was doing the country a favour when it made the bid for the refineries, adding that it is cheaper to build a new refinery than “purchase only 51 per cent controlling interest at such exorbitant cost and spend so much more to revamp the units.”

The official decried the new position of the NNPC before the Senate ad-hoc committee, noting that Alhaji Abubakar Yar’Adua, the corporation’s Executive Director in charge of Refining and Petrochemicals, participated all the way in negotiations with the BPE.

“We were motivated by patriotism and nothing more. Why is it so difficult for people to see this? We had even planned to list the refineries on the Capital Market as a way of giving part of it back to the Nigerian people,” he said.

Contacted, Mr. Joe Anichebe, spokesman for the BPE, said he was not aware of any move by Bluestar Consortium to withdraw from the process and promised to call as soon as there was a new development.

Dr. Levi Ajuonuma, Group General Manager in charge of Group Public Affairs at the NNPC, reacting to questions on the development said the corporation had made a presentation before the Senate ad-hoc Committee looking into the transaction.

He said since the committee was yet to conclude its work, he could not comment further on other developments.

Also speaking on the development, an official of the Ministry of Energy, who pleaded anonymity, decried what he described as double speak on the part of the corporation, adding that petroleum products imports may not cease in the immediate or medium term.

Militants Present Cease-Fire Terms (Vanguard)

Niger Delta militants will today propose four terms including the release of former Governor Diepereye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State and a general amnesty for a general cease- fire in their quest for self determination.

The terms of the cease-fire will be conveyed by Asari Dokubo, leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteers Force (NDPVF) during a scheduled meeting between a delegation of the militant groups and President Umaru Yar‘Adua in Abuja.

Senator David Brigidi chairman of the Federal Government instituted Niger Delta Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee confirmed the terms as laid down by the militant groups from his preliminary contacts with the groups.

Besides the release of Chief Alamieyeseigha, the militant groups are also asking the federal authorities to create the enabling environment that will allow the leaders of the militant groups to unmask themselves and appear in Abuja for the negotiations.

“They just want some preliminary conditions to be met so that they could create a ceasefire for the dialogue to take place. Our duty is to put the ceasefire in place so that the leaders, opinion moulders and delegations from the ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta will be able to come to Abuja and discuss,’’ Senator Brigidi who was picked by the Federal Government to broker the talks with the militant groups told Vanguard.

Nigeria Security Update #1 170707

Two American Carriers Add Nigeria Routes

TWO American airlines are set to commence operations on lucrative Nigeria - United States routes.

The visiting four-member team from the United States Federal Aviation Administration that arrived on Sunday for the initial technical assessment of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and three Nigerian carriers, said this in Lagos on Monday.

The leader of the team, Greg Michael, who spoke with our correspondent on Monday in Lagos, said that Delta Airlines and Continental Airlines would begin services into the country, after meeting all the requirements of the Nigerian aviation regulatory bodies.

Michael said that the team was pleased that the NCAA had worked very hard to make the airspace safe.

The commencement of flight operations by the two carriers will bring to three, the number of American airlines operating into Nigeria.

North American Airlines started operations into Nigeria, July last year under the ‘Open Skies’ Agreement between Nigeria and the US Airlines, with Nigeria designating three carriers, Bellview, Arik and Virgin Nigeria to fly to America.

Delta Airlines is a US-based airline headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. It operates a large domestic and international network that spans North America, South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Caribbean.

Delta Airlines currently flies to 463 destinations in 95 countries.

The Director-General, NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren was confident that after the successful passing of the International Air Safety Assessment for the category one audit, Nigerian carriers would fly seamlessly to the US, from Lagos.

Demuren said, “This is the initial assessment of that, initial review if you like. We are happy that they are here. They will still come back to do the theory aspect, so that Nigeria can pass and be certified.



Asari Calls for Trial of Obasanjo

HEAD of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force (NDVF), Alhaji Mujaheed Dokubo-Asari, has said that the Niger Delta will not witness peace until former President Olusegun Obasanjo is tried in the International Court of Justice for crimes against humanity.

He maintained that a sovereign national conference was also needed to be convened by President Umaru Yar’Adua to discuss how justice would be done to the people of the area by the Federal Government.

Dokubo-Asari, while speaking with journalists in Ibadan on Monday at the burial of one of his guardians, said the former president’s eight-year tenure was characterised by injustice which he said demanded prosecution.

He disclosed that he had instituted a legal action against the former president for the alleged injustice meted out to him and for depriving him of his fundamental human rights.

He claimed that Chief Obasanjo did not have respect for the rule of law and humanity, this he said made him to deprive people of their fundamental human rights.

According to him, “a lot of people were murdered. He destroyed Odi and other communities, where he killed many people. There was no security of lives and property in all parts of the country, even in Ibadan here, nobody can move out freely.

“He facilitated crisis in the town. He took power from a democratically elected president and installed a stooge. He is a devil, he must be tried at the International Court of Justice and I can assure you that he will surely face the trial.”

The NDVF chieftain said, “I will not rest the struggle until Obasanjo is brought to book. He has committed crimes against humanity. A lot of people were killed during his tenure, but we shall let him know that he is not above God.”

Speaking on his detention which he said was just a mere threat to stop his fight against injustice, Dokubo-Asari said that though “it was a bad one, experienced in a positive way.”

According to him, “it was just a threat. That will not stop me from the struggle. The struggle has just begun. We shall not stop it until our prayers are answered in Ijaw land.

“Our land has been taken over. We are deprived of our rights in Ijaw land and in the entire Niger Delta. We must be liberated from the economic shambles, oppression and poverty,” he said.

Asked if the people had any hope in the Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as a saviour to fight for the cause of the land, Dokubo-Asari said: “He may try, but a tree does not make a forest. I don’t think that he can solve the problem alone,” he said.

A sovereign national government, he suggested, would provide a lasting solution to the crisis.

He maintained that such a conference should not be politically motivated, but should comprise various groups from all the Nigerian nations to discuss the sources of problems ravaging the country.

Speaking on kidnappings, especially of toddlers, in the area, he described them as “heinous acts that are evil and criminal in nature.”

According to him, “kidnapping is evil and nefarious. It is a sin against humanity which should be condemned by the entire Nigerians.”

He called on President Yar’Adua to ensure that the “sovereign national conference is convened to bring justice, equity, peace and tranquility to the country."

Dreams of Biafra Still Alive

The wife of Nigerian secessionist leader Ralph Uwazuruike says she is still committed to his cause, even though he has spent two years in jail.
"The struggle continues - it is not negotiable," Ngozi Uwazuruike told the BBC about the desire for independence for the south-eastern Igbo people.

Mr Uwazuruike's treason trial is due to resume on Monday in Abuja.

Mrs Uwazuruike, however, said the children had been affected by not seeing their father for two years.

"Our four children are out of school now and they miss their father," she told the BBC's Network Africa programme.

Mr Uwazuruike was arrested in October 2005 and has been in detention since then.

"The little one is emotionally sick now," Mrs Uwazuruike said.

"He needs to see his father. But I don't know how I could possibly take that little boy to prison to see his father."

The Movement for Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (Massob) says 37 years after the Biafran civil war ended, the Igbo people are still "marginalised" in Nigeria.

"We are not wanted," Mrs Uwazuruike said.

Recently, former Biafran leader, Emeka Ojukwu said the Igbo have more reason today to seek independence from Nigeria.

Mr Ojukwu's declaration of independence on 30 May 1967 led to a three-year civil war, in which more than 1m people died, mostly from hunger.

Mr Uwazuruike, a lawyer, abandoned his law practice to take up the Biafran campaign.

New Trend in Nigeria's Most Lucrative Illicit Industry (Daily Champion)

Michael Stewart was the first, Margret Hill, second and now it is Samuel Amadi all minors who have had a taste of the kidnap experience.

Michael Stewart is the son of a female house of assembly lawmaker, Margaret Hill, a daughter of a Briton and Samuel, a prince.

What makes their abduction unique is that the three took place as the children were being taken to school respectively.

Another unifying factor is that their cases have only sharpened a sudden developing trend of child abduction in the volatile Niger Delta Region.

The most recent of them which calls for a lot of concern in the child abduction cases is that of Samuel Ovundah Amadi which happened barely four days after the release of Margaret Hill.

According to the driver of the Chief, identified as Knneth Akobezuko, the event took place at the East-West road at about 7am.

The act, he said was perpetrated by four armed men.

"I was taking the boy to school as I usually do. Then some people used a Volvo car to block me.; four of them carrying guns. All of a sudden, I heard a big sound on the glass door beside me.

I thought it was a gunshot because one of them had entered and pointed a gun at my head.

"After two of them had entered into the vehicle with me, they told me to drive on towards University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT). The brown volvo car was following me.

When we got to a bushy place, they took the boy and told me that I should go. They collected my phone so I could not make any call. So I came back here," he said.

Not long, the abductors called the Iriebe community chief, Francis Amadi.

According to him, they demanded N50 million ransom. He was also told to pay the said amount into a First Inland bank account with name, Dyke Otuonye and account number 301450821801.

Later the kidnappers called to say he should not pay the money into any account rather he should stack it in N1000 denominations and wait for further instructions.

According to Amadi, he tried negotiating with them adding saying that he told then he could pay only N5 million. The chief who is from Iriebe community. Obiakpor Local Government Area suspecting foul play in the accused his driven Kenneth of complicity.

Not long after, the abductors called Chief Amadi again saying that his driver was not involved in the abduction, when the local chief wanted to ascertain the driver's innocence in the kidnap. They also added that if Amadi did not heed to their instruction, they would chop off Samuel's hands and send to him in an envelope.

As the conversation was going on, a neighbour and Computer Science student, in Rivers State University (RSUST), Innocent Onokure eavesdropped into the conversation and it seemed to him that he recognized the voice of one of kidnappers speaking.

He alerted the traditional chief and when they called his friends number, he said he was in Lagos. Not satisfied with what was , Chief Amadi stated that he called in men of the police force to arrest the duo. His reason for arresting Onokure is that he had not seen him for over one year now and why must he come back to his village after over a year on a day his child was kidnapped.

Rivers State police spokesperson Ireju Barasu who confirmed the abduction said that the kidnappers have been in contact with the family of the boy.

At the end of the day, boy Samuel was released to his father. Though it is not clear how much was paid as ransome, it is an open secrete that ransom is paid for every kidnap though the family of the person will not disclose it.

The Obiakpor Local Government Area Chief confirmed the release of his son adding that he has since taken him to the hospital for medical examination.

Recall that this was exactly what happened in the case of baby Margaret and had also attracted a lot of attention.

For the mother of three, the experience was simply a nightmare.

Even the governor of the Rivers State, Sir Celestine Omehia did not mince words in condemning the act.

"What has happened is very unfortunate, criminal, inhuman and evil and we shall not tolerate it any more. We are no longer going to tolerate this type of criminal action." he said at the Government House, Port Harcourt when he received, Mr. and Mrs. Mike Oluchi Hill, parents of the three-year-old British girl that was abducted on Thursday, July 5,2007 on her way to school.

Hostage taking, kidnapping or abduction is now a daily occurrence in Rivers State and every other area of the Niger Delta region. Before now, it was limited to Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states but now every part of the region has one tale of kidnapping or the other to tell.

Miss Margaret Hill was being taken to to school in the morning of Thursday, July 5 when some yet to be identified gunmen smashed the passenger's side of the vehicle she was traveling in and snatched her to a yet to be disclosed hideout.

Margaret was released after four days due to an international outcry and pressure particularly put on the Nigerian government to secure her safe release by her home country, the British Government.

A week before Margaret was abducted, Master Micheal Stewart, a son of a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly was abducted by gunmen on Tuesday June 26 within his school premises when her nanny was taking him to his classroom few minutes after he alighted from the vehicle that brought him to school. Stewart is about three and a half years. He was released few days later after the family allegedly paid a ransom of N10 million. A news agency quoted Oluchi Hill as saying that her daughter kidnappers were ready to free the girl but had asked for an undisclosed amount as ransom.

Though security agents and government officials claimed that both Margaret and Stewart were released unconditionally without any payment of ransom. As the saying goes they can tell that to the Marines.

A day before Miss Hill was abducted, five expatriates working for Lone Star Drilling Nigeria, an oil servicing company working for Shell Development Company in the Soku oil field in Kalabari Kingdom of Rivers State were taken hostage by some unidentified gunmen who are yet to claim responsibility or state their demands.

Even Omehia has had a taste of the agony of kidnap victims' families. Few days after he was elected governor, his mother was taken hostage.

Alluding to this incident, Omehia empathized with the Hills thus: "I know how you feel since your daughter was taken some days ago and we share your agony. The government and people of Rivers State are with you in these agonizing moments of your life and we pray that it comes to an end soon."

Condemnation for the abduction of baby Hill came from far and wide even the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta [MEND] a militant group was irked by the abduction of Margaret and announced its decision to fish out the culprits and ensure safe release of the child. Nsirimovo lamented that the current trend of kidnapping is nothing short of a disastrous development in the region.

Condemning the kidnapping of children,Nsirimovu called on all those who have profited from kidnapping to recognize that this senseless industry cannot continue. Atake Tom, leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Movement directed the immediate stoppage of all forms of kidnapping and hostage taking in RIVERS STATE. Ateke appealed to youths and youth groups in the state to sheate their sword.

Inspector general of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro on his part declared that those involved in hostage takings and other anti social activities in the Niger Delta should be regarded as criminals and treated as such. Okiro who disclosed that some of these criminals are non-indigenes of Niger Delta, declared that they are doing it for their selfish interest.

Some years back hostage taking was alien to the Niger Delta Region. It was a taboo among the people and can lead to communal or tribal war. While in some communities' culprits of this act and their families could be banished from their community as a punishment for abduction. Hostage taking was only tolerated during war or during the various boundary clashes among communities in the region. But times have change and things are no longer at ease.

Hostage taking took a center stage in the region when some groups resorted to it as a means of drawing attention to the plight of the robbed, neglected, oppressed and marginalized people of the oil rich Niger Delta who live on the bank of a river but wash their hand with spittle. Hostage taking was seen as a legitimate weapon that could be used in the struggle for the control of its oil and gas resources and emancipation of the region from an oppressive Nigerian Government.

Kidnapping in the region took a new dimension when the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunterer Force, Alhaji Mujihad Dokubo Asari was arrested for alleged acts of treason. Most of the groups involved in hostage taking were claiming that they were doing this to press home their demand for the unconditional released of Asari. But last month Asari was given bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja. Regrettably, kidnapping has not abated. Infact, Asari himself is a victim of the criminal agents who now parade their region as freedom fighters: an SUV van belonging to his was snatched a fortnight ago at gunpoint. Speaking at a stakeholders meting in Port Harcourt, Omehia lamented "The truth is that kidnapping has become business and no more a fight for the emancipation of the NIGER Delta."

Though some schools of thought believe that kidnapping gangs proliferated when Asari was in detention and would reduce when he is free, the reverse has been the case. Even Asari wife, Alhaja Mujuhadeet held the opinion that the release of her husband would reduce hostage taking. Some are of the opinion the rising wave of kidnapping is to show that Asari is not really in charge of the entire so-called militant group in the region. Some of these groups and their various sponsors are angling to get the kind of relevance and attention that Asari receives from both the federal government of Nigeria and the international community. Asari has admitted that he has no control over the criminal gangs operating in the region and his release may not be an immediate antidote to kidnapping in violence in the Niger Delta.

A wise man once said that wherever there is original there must be a counterfeit. Though there are genuine groups in the region that are agitating for improvement of the welfare of the region others have latched to this struggle to perpetuate crime and violence. Some people claimed that some of these criminal elements were originally part of the Niger struggle but greed overwhelmed their "patriotic" view and they decided to help themselves. Having been identified with the struggle the boys decided to go into hostage taking, bank robbery and other violence crimes. Like they say in Akwa Ibom, a dog that has tasted the entrails of an animal will not stay away from the bush. These boys have tasted fast money from these crimes and they are not ready to repent of it.

A spokesperson for NDPVF, who claimed to be Asari second in command, General Gabriel Asabuja absolved members of the Asari group from the crime of kidnapping and other acts of terrorism. He disclosed that the boys involved in hostage taking cannot be controlled again because of the pecuniary gains inherent in the bisiness as "the monetary involment has opened the floodgate for formation of more militant groups in the state and until government establishes community police to checkmate them, there will be no end to this terrorist acts."

Asabuja regretted that kidnapping and hostage taking is yet to stop despite the release of Asari and blamed government for this development.

According to him, government officials who benefit from these activities have been the major hindrance stalling all sincere efforts to curb the activities of these criminal elements.

On Monday, July 2, 2007 Vice President Goodluck Jonathan on behalf of the Federal Government inaugurated a Peace and Conflict Resolution Committee. The committee is expected to coordinate similar committees set up by the various Niger Delta states to see how the current violence in the region can be brought under control. Before now, Rivers State Governor, Omehia has set up a Peace and Rehabilitation Committee for the state headed by Alhaji Hassan Douglas. Omehia promised a reward of a million naira for the first one hundred cultists and militants who would repent of their criminal activities. But this reward for repentance has drawn a lot of criticisms from the public. There is a story going roun that during former Governor Peter Odili administration, a self acclaimed repentant cultist collected money from the government and instead of using the money to set up a business he used it to buy guns, which he rents out to criminals.

Ledum Mitee, President of the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People [MOSOP] described the offer of money for repentant cultists and militants as an incentive for violence. According to Mitee, there is every reason for people to go into violence to get millions overnight. We are against giving money to cultists and militants for them to renouce cultism. There has to be a comprehensive strategy to be sustained in ensuring that the money does not go into wrong hands," Mitee maintained. Chairman of the Niger delta Civil Society Coalition, MR. Anyakwee Nsirimovu recalled "In 2004 we saw the mistakes of careless distribution of cash for weapons and so-called rehablitation of youths which had little credibility and no follow up. Now we are seeing promises of one million naira to youths with absolutely no sign of a strategy." Rather than the rewarding of violence, Nsirimovu suggested a roadmap, which would address resource control, accountable government, self determination and the protection of the environment.

Nigeria Security Update #1 150707

Anatomy of a Child Kidnapping (Sunday Nigerian Tribune)

In this detailed description of the latest toddler abduction in Port Harcourt on Thursday, BOLAJI OGUNDELE puts together the unbelievable confessions of the alleged abductors.

You could hardly see any other issue in the news, four days after she had been released, Margaret Hill's story continued to make the front page, at least in the Nigerian media. Editors were still hassling for more updates on her, while all modes of comments were still flying round. Then came the news of yet another toddler’s kidnap, a younger one this time around.

Prince Samuel Ovundah Amadi, son of the paramount ruler of Iriebe, was also kidnapped on the way to his Princess International School. Panic reigned again in Port Harcourt.

This time around, however, there were around the kidnap certain links and leads that supposedly should give the law enforcement and security agencies easy access to the root of the case. First of these were the confessions of one of the two suspects who were arrested on Thursday, almost immediately after the boy was kidnapped. Besides that, the first slip the kidnappers made was giving themselves out by sending an account number to the paramount ruler, father of Samuel, to send their initial ransom demand of N50million. The account name, Dyke Otuonye, is one of the two names mentioned by Isaac, one of the two suspects picked for the kidnap, while an account number, 301450821801 of First Inland Bank, which the kidnappers gave is believed to be capable of providing the picture of one of the criminals.

May be the best way to let you into the first closely followed kidnap case since the menace started in the Niger Delta is to give you a picture of the several dialogues that followed the act. First is the cry of innocence of a suspected culprit, Isaac Onokure, who said he knew nothing about the kidnap, but he knows well the culprits, at least he said so when he recognized the voice of one of his friends on the phone, when that one was calling to demand for ransom. It should also be noted that Isaac had not come to see his Eze, for more than one year and it is not as if he is one of the Eze's indigenous subjects. Eze got to know this same Isaac with Dyke and Kelvin when they went to tell him that they had been hired by another to assassinate him (the Eze):

Ques: What's your name?

Ans: My name is Onokure Owede Isaac.

Ques: Which Kelvin are we talking about?

Ans: There was someone that called the Eze, which I witnessed so the person was like talking and I have lived in the compound like for one year before…

Ques: Which compound are you talking about?

Ans: There was a time when I did not have an accommodation, there is one of my friends, Dike, who took me into his accommodation. Kelvin also lives in that compound. So as this thing happened, the person we were suspecting is this Dike, but as this person now called, I recognized the voice because there is no way you'll stay with someone for one year that you will not recognize his voice on phone. I now tell them that this voice we are hearing is Kelvin's voice, meaning that the thing is leading to Dike.

Ques: Why would you suspect Kelvin?

Ans: Because it is his voice. The voice that called negotiating for money was Kelvin's voice.

Ques: What really happened?

Ans: I came here this morning to see my Eze, along the line a call now came into his phone that they have kidnapped his son. We then went to his school, came back and they were trying to put heads together and finally they said I am a suspect because I am Dike's friend, because I lived with him. That is what happened, I know nothing about this

Ques: Are you from this community?

Ans: I am not from this community, I am from Delta state.

Ques: What do you do?

Ans: I am a student in UST, Computer Science, 100 level.

Now the Eze's driver, who was taking the boy to school when he was kidnapped was not a stranger to the Eze, but he became a suspect according to the Eze, when he was deliberately giving confusing statements on what really happened. Besides that, the abductors suddenly became sympathetic with him so much that when they discovered that he had been handed over to the police, whichever way the kidnappers got the news immediately, they called the chief to let him go or they would cut his son's hand. Though he was initially hostile to press interview, he was made to see reasons and he gave a version of his stories:

Ques: What is your name?

Ans: My name is Kenneth Akubuezeoka.

Ques: What happened?

Ans: It was this morning around 7:00am,I was taking the boy to school as I usually do, then some people used a Volvo to block me, saying they need the child, four of them, carrying guns. All of a sudden I heard a big sound on the door glass beside me, I thought it was gun because one of them had entered and pointed a gun at my head.

Ques: Around what time was that?

Ans: I can't say precisely, but it should be around 8:00am

Ques: Which area and which school, were you taking him to?

Ans: It happened along East-West Road and the boy's school is Princess International School, Elioha.

Ques: What happened?

Ans: After two of them had entered into the vehicle with me, they told me to drive on towards UNIPORT, the brown Volvo was driving after me. When we got to a bushy place they took the boy and told me that I should go, they collected my phone so I could not make any call, so I came back here.

Now, Eze (Dr) Francis Amadi, the paramount ruler of Iriebe, a bubbling community on the outskirt of Port Harcourt, could only express surprise at any reason why his innocent baby boy should be a target of this sort of violence. So much as he was trying to remain calm in the face of his trouble; his first child, as he is also a very young man, was in the wrong hands. He gave a brief introduction into what was gradually growing into another international media issue. Excerpts of his narration and suspicion:

When they called me to pay N50million into their account, I have the account number here with me, yes a First Inland Bank account, I decided to be friendly with them because of the life of my son. I told them that I will pay N5million, they said no.

So I quickly detailed three of my chiefs to take the driver to the place where the thing happened so that they could verify from people around if anything like that happened.

Immediately they left, the boys called me to say I have detailed people with the driver, that I should leave the driver, that the driver is innocent, that if they don't hear from the driver they would cut off one of my son's arms and send it to me in an envelope, that the people giving them information are all here.

As I was talking to them, I didn't know that this young man here (Isaac) recorded their voices and he quickly told me that the man is one of them that he knows him. We then knew that he was the only person giving them information. That is why we have to apprehend them, that the police should take them and keep them in their custody.

Now the driver made several conflicting statements here. First he said they shot the car, later he said it was a stick and then he was telling us things that we don't even know how to lay our hands on. If he is unable to direct us well that means something is fishy. When they went to the scene of the incident, he was telling the people I detailed with him different thing entirely. I then said okay, instead of the information, because since I took their phones, those people have not been calling, so let them remain in police custody while government does something about it. That was all that happened this morning.

Ques: How long has the driver worked with you? And this man (Isaac), how long has he been around you?

Ans: I have not seen this young man for more than one year, I was surprised to see him this morning and when I saw him, I suspected him as someone who came to spy the area. This boy has even threatened one of my chiefs before that he would use dynamite on his house. Right now, I know him as one who knows the people who kidnapped my son, because I must be frank about it.

He has threatened severally that he is going to dynamite the house of my chief. Look at how I knew them. Elelewon people hired them to come and assassinate me. They came back to tell me that Elelewon hired them. The former IG approved a station in Iriebe, Elelewon people said the land belongs to them and hired these boys to go and pull down the sign board. The boys said they would want to expose the people that sent them and that in fact they also gave them N3million to assassinate me, they brought the signboard. Since then, they have been pestering my life that I should give them money for house rent. They have even threatened me before that they would kidnap my son.

On this I made attempt, I told one commander of the SSS that this is what is happening, I never knew they meant it until this morning. That is it, I don't have any serious deal with them. I am suspecting that he particularly, knows what really happened because for more than six months I have not seen him, I just saw him this morning and this thing is happening this same morning. I am suspecting Isaac because he knows those boys, he even mentioned it to me that he knows the man that asked me to pay N50million, he has even said it to the press men. So government should hold him, he knows the boys that hold my son.

After a while, the abductors started calling him to finish up the deal for the ransom and to secure the release of some other person's in his custody who might be important to them.

The conversation with the hoodlums came in at different times:

Chief Francis Amadi on phone to the abductors

Chief: Wetin happen now, release my son now.

Abductors: See those people wey dey for your palace, wey dey do wo wo wo for your palace now, na them be the main people wey bring this job. The thing wey dey there be say we must collect the money before we release your son.

Chief: Na the people wey dey for my palace arrange the job.

Abductors: Yes, dem day there.

Chief: Mention their names to me now.

Abductors: No worry, wetin dey there be say bring the money make you carry your son with you immediately.

Chief: Give me the account number now, how I go take bring the money to una now.

Abductors: How much you bring now na N10million we want.

Chief: Na N5million I go pay, I no go pay N10million.

Abductors: Then all those police people wey you dey send around, the whole movement wey dem dey make, you know say people dey hear am.

Chief: I no send any police, police people don hear am already, come dey ask me questions, I tell them say I no know.

Abductors: All those movements wey you dey make we dey hear am o.

Chief: Give me the account number make I pay the money now so that una go release my son. That boy na innocent boy o, I think una dey aware…(the call ended).
A few moments after then, another call came in from the abductors and the conversation continued.

Chief: My brother, you called me.

Abductors: The only thing wey me I go tell you now be say, those police people wey come your palace now now, we don dey aware so call them back to avoid problem. The N5milliom make you arrange am, package am well…

Chief: The police people wey come now dem don reach station o, okay I go call them back.

Abductors: Call them back to avoid any problem, I think you dey hear me. The N5Million, package am now, you are not paying it into any account, we will call you now to give you details…(call ends again)
Few moments later, another call came through from the abductors:

Abductors: Those boys dem wey dey leave your house (the two suspects), where dem dey go?

Chief: They said dem sabi you people wey hold my son.

Abductors: (Conversation became blurred from the other end)

Chief: Okay, the boys don go, dem don comot.

Abductors: Where dem go, na you send them?

Chief: I don't know where dem go, they comot. The boys no dey here.

Abductors: Those boys dey call me, dem dey worry me.

Chief: Make dem no dey call you again? Then release my son now, nobody go worry you again, release my son make all these things dey over.

Abductors: Hello, excuse me, let me tell you something, … na hin make I never fit tell you the amount … Tell them make dem no dey call me again…

Chief: Okay give me the account number make I send the money make you leave my son. Tell me where I go come collect my son.

Abductors: We need raw cash, raw cash. N1000 notes. I will tell you where you go bring am.

Chief: Una need cash, who go come collect the cash now. Where I go bring am now, tell me make we bring the cash. The boy never eat since morning o.

Abductors: Don't worry. The money don dey now? No go do anything stupid o.

Chief: The money dey now, no problem. Tell me where I go come collect my son.

That was a ransom negotiation dialogue, not a fiction, it happened real life and till now, when this report is being filed, no news has been been heard of the boy or the negotiators. Efforts to reach his father for an update did not materialise as he would not pick calls. Police also don't seem to be making any new head way.

This has become an everyday reality in Port Harcourt, a city which is being ranked on same stand with Iraqi cities in terms of daily mass killing and Brazilian cities in terms of commercial abduction.

Abducted Prince Freed (This Day)

The drama of the kidnap of Prince Samuel Ovunda Amadi has ended almost 24 hours after it started, with the release of the toddler yesterday evening by his captors and his subsequent re-union with his parents at about 5.30 pm.

Confirming the release of the boy, his father, Eze Francis Amadi said the boy was in a good condition. He said the kidnappers released his son around Choba area by WiIlbros in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

He said he worked with the State Security Services in ensuring the release of his son and denied that any sums of money paid to the kidnappers.

Eze Amadi told THISDAY, "I got somebody from Port Harcourt that went to Uniport road, near Choba road. I didn't go my self. They left my boy close to WiIlbros. The person I sent gave his number to the kidnappers. So, he was communicating with them. When he got there, he called them and they told him where to go and get the boy. When he got there, he saw him. My boy is all right. There is nothing wrong with him. He is with me in the palace now.

"I did not pay anything. What happened was that I got across to my brothers across Ikwerreland and it was then my people put pressure on them. Seeing that they had no way of escaping, they gave up on the game."

The kidnappers had asked Eze Amadi to pay N50 million before they slashed it to N5 million and later jerked it up again to N8 million. They had threatened to kill the boy if he did not concede to their demands.

At a point, they asked him to pay the money into a particular bank account and later changed their mind and insisted that they wanted cash in N1, 000 notes.

They also asked him to release his driver, Kenneth Akubueze and another visitor to the palace, Isaac Owode.

The duo were arrested when they were inconsistent in their statements while Owode was implicated when he claimed to know the voice on the phone which demanded for the ransom.

Eze Amadi who is the paramount ruler of Iriebe in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State had accused Owode and Akubueze of knowing what happened to his son and the duo were subsequently arrested by the police.

Eze Amadi had alleged yesterday, "The same Isaac had threatened that some people said they were going to kill me and that unless I gave them money, they will kidnap my son. Now, they have done it. This my driver has been working with me for five years but how come he is unable to relay how the incident happened? He first said they used a stick to break the glass and now he is saying they shot at the glass.

Prince Amadi was kidnapped on his way to school in his father's Mercedes Benz jeep by four armed men in a Volvo 244 and taken to East-West road, the same area where he was released.

The kidnap and release of Amadi is coming a few days after Magaret Hill, a British girl was kidnapped in Port Harcourt while on her way to school. She was later released after four days in the custody of her captors.

Seven Workers Kidnapped (Reuters)

Gunmen have abducted seven staff of a local dredging firm in the southeastern Nigerian state of Anambra, police and private security sources said on Saturday.

The workers were seized near the commercial hub of Onitsha located on the banks of the River Niger, late on Thursday and taken by speedboat to Enenchele Island, they said.

The kidnappers have asked for "settlement", another term for ransom, from the firm for their release, security sources said.

Kidnappings for ransom, which are more common in Nigeria's oil producing Niger Delta, have spread to the southeast, where at least two Chinese workers and a number of local politicians and businessmen have been taken hostage this year. They were all freed unharmed after money changed hands.

The latest abductions followed the release of a 3-year-old Nigerian boy seized on Wednesday in the Niger Delta city of Port Harcourt in a rare case of child-kidnapping in Africa's top oil producer.

"Suspected militants in two speed boats went to the place where the 7 men were working near the River Niger and kidnapped them on July 12, but the incident was reported late yesterday," a spokesman for the Anambra state police said by telephone from the capital Awka.

About 200 foreign workers have been kidnapped by different armed groups in the lawless Niger Delta since the start of 2006 and most of them have been released unharmed in exchange for money.

Last Sunday, unknown ransom seekers freed 3-year-old Briton Margaret Hill unharmed after four days in captivity. Gunmen had snatched the toddler on July 5 from the car in which she was being driven to school in Port Harcourt, the delta's main city.

At least 11 foreign hostages are still being held by various armed groups in the volatile southern delta, which accounts for all of the oil production of the world's eighth biggest exporter of crude.