Following further kidnappings in south eastern Nigeria the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has advised against all travel to the Niger Delta and to all riverine areas of Cross River State:
The Foreign Office previously warned against travel to the Niger Delta.
A British and a Bulgarian citizen were kidnapped by armed men in speedboats who attacked a barge belonging to Nigerian oil company Manipolu, a day after three other foreigners were snatched in the area, the latest in a string of abductions of dozens of foreigners in recent months.
The Foreign Office said 33 British nationals and more 180 foreign nationals have been kidnapped in the Niger Delta area and one Briton has been killed since Jan 2006.
Statement Summary...
This advice has been reviewed and reissued with an amendment to the Summary and Terrorism/Security section). We now advise against all travel to riverine areas of Cross River State.
We advise against all travel to the Niger Delta (Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States, including Port Harcourt) and to riverine areas of Cross River State. This is because of the very high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks in these areas. In 17 separate incidents since January 2006, 33 British nationals and over 180 foreign nationals have been kidnapped in the Niger Delta area and one Briton has been killed. On 8 July 2007 a British national was one of two foreign nationals abducted from a vessel in a riverine location in Cross River State. See the Terrorism/Security section of this travel advice for more details.
We advise that the security situation in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers States makes them unsafe for British nationals. We therefore advise British nationals to leave. If you stay, you do so at your own risk and should take professional security advice. The level of consular assistance we can provide is limited.
We advise against all but essential travel to Akwa Ibom State because of the high risk of kidnapping, armed robbery and other armed attacks. You should maintain a high level of vigilance at all times, observe the strictest security measures and not travel unnecessarily. If travelling by road you should use fully protected transport. Six Russian nationals were abducted from a compound in Akwa Ibom State on 3 June 2007.
The high risk of kidnappings and other armed attacks in the Niger Delta applies also to ships and oil rigs at sea off the coast of the Delta. In 2007 there has been an increase in attacks offshore.
There is also a risk of kidnapping in other States in south-east Nigeria. On 17 March 2007, two Chinese nationals were abducted at Nnewi, Anambra State. A British national was one of two foreign nationals abducted from a vessel in a riverine area of Cross River State on 8 July. See the Terrorism/Security section of this travel advice for more details.
Despite the hopes of many that a new government would see the start of a cutback in violence in the region, the only positive event so far was the release of 3 year-old Margaret Hill, and this probably after pressure from MEND and other political militant groups. The problem is that there are now so many disaffected violent individuals and groups who have been armed by crooked politicians that the kidnapping will be extremely difficult without a complete change of attitude by the government and firm action to stamp it out. There has been no sign of this so far, with only the usual barrage of words and little action. Within the last week there have been evacuations of locations to the west of Port Harcourt around Nembe Creek and Nembe and the Calabar River, close to the coast. Shell is still showing no signs of allowing expatriate families to return and indeed is still reducing the number of expatriates from its Warri base.
CHC's operations director recently visited Port Harcourt in an effort to stop even more pilots walking, but he's reknowned for making promises to put out the fire and then only fulfilling in part, especially when IR and K2 get involved (those 2 are responsible for a lot of the discontent being felt by all expatriate staff in PH).
Brsitow staff are still waiting to hear details of their July pay review, but if last year is anything to go by, there will be no general announcement (Danny's no communicator
) and the bad news about expectations yet again being dashed will probably be accompanied by a number of the few staff still on 8/4 or 5/1 changing to 6/6 contracts.
With large expansions now starting in former Soviet states, where the money is only marginally lower than in Nigeria and lack of security is not nearly as bad it will be even more difficult for CHC or Bristow to persuade new crews to go to Nigeria. Staff already in Nigeria are also finding it very difficult, if not impossible, to get transfers out (thus adding to the reasons not to go to Nigeria with either company).
It really is a jungle out here (or actually, it's a swamp
)