US embassy cable - 04LAGOS1475

UNCLAS LAGOS 001475 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS TO DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/OSAC, DS/IP/ITA 
LONDON AND PARIS PASS TO AFRICA WATCHERS 
KABUL PASS TO SROSS 
DIA/J2 PASS TO GHAYES 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, EPET, PINS, PGOV, NI, CACS 
SUBJECT: NO REPORTS OF AMCITS IN BAYELSA KIDNAPPING 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Reports indicate several expatriate 
hostages have been taken near Brass in Bayelsa State in 
the Niger Delta region of Nigeria.  We have NO/NO 
reports of American citizens being taken hostage, but 
an American-French drilling venture may be involved. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2. (SBU) Preliminary but credible reports indicate 
several expatriate hostages have been taken by restive 
community members in Bayelsa State.  News reports 
indicate the hostages work for Conoil Limited, an oil 
services subsidiary of Conoil Nigeria, the privatized 
oil company formerly called National Oil.  We have also 
heard, but have not confirmed, that an American-French 
oil services company, Forasol Drilling West Africa, 
with offices in Port Harcourt, may be involved. 
 
3. (SBU) Diplomatic and security sources tell us that 
seven (7) French contractors, one Ivorian, one Croatian 
and 20 to 50 Nigerian oil workers are being held by 
community members over a dispute with Conoil regarding 
its hiring practices.  An oil services security manager 
told Econoff that the governor of Bayelsa State has 
flown to the area known as Sangana to negotiate with 
community leaders for release of the hostages. 
 
4. (SBU) COMMENT: Bayelsa State, a nearly homogenous 
ethnic Ijaw region, generally has not bee a locus of 
oil-related communal violence or disruption.  However, 
this incident serves as a reminder that the estranged 
relationships between communities and oil companies, 
and the volatility of the Delta, extend beyond the 
Warri area.  Last November, ChevronTexaco faced a stand- 
off on one of its platforms off the coast of Bayelsa, 
and past incidents between communities in Bayelsa and 
GON forces have been bloody (Odi, for example).  The 
challenge of Bayelsa is that it is even more remote and 
undeveloped than Delta or Rivers States.  Consequently, 
agitation regarding community development issues will 
flare periodically.  We will keep an eye on this 
situation to see how the state and federal governments 
handle this sensitive matter.  END COMMENT. 
 
BROWNE