What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)

[SASless]

Several leading news stories today on US Television....commenting about rising oil prices due to the problems in the Delta with just a 20% reduction in Nigerian oil production. The insurgents definitely have the ability to walk onto the world stage during this period of historically high oil prices as a back drop.

[anjouan]

Excellent article SASless. Where did Mr Abati publish it?
So far today has been relatively quiet in the Niger Delta, though there are unconfirmed reports that the MEND militants damaged an oil supply facility at Ughelli and blew up some accommodation barges being used by the Nigerian Army. MEND has also said that as from midnight it will be increasing its activities, though President Obasanjo has reportedly told the military to stop further attacks on Ijaw communities in the area while talks are going on for the release of the foreign hostages. This may help to quieten the situation.
Shell has closed Osubi airport, so not too good for anybody living in Warri and trying to get out of the area . The airfield has been given more protection by the Nigerian army, but its location makes it difficult to get to in a crisis and easy to attack. Several foreign companies in the Warri area, notably Daewoo, have ceased the operations for the time being and sent expatriate workers out of the country.
I haven't heard if Pan African are still flying from Escravos today, but I hear that aero are not operating their Dash 8s in there for now.
7-3, yes I would think that's about right for now Musket, especially with the religious riots and deaths adding to President Obasanjo's problems.

[SASless]

More news.....dated 19Jan

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20060219/D8FS8A5O0.html

A Google search for Reuben Abati yields numerous articles....he is a journalist and writes for a newspaper and other outlets.

Maybe we can get someone to update us on today's events from the Delta.....cmon' guys...bare all for us....whats the straight skinny?

[Tokunbo]

SASless, sounds as if Obasanjo is trying hard to calm things down. Pretty much everyone knows that the military reports of destroying illegal bunkering operations were a pathetic attempt to cover up a revenge attack on the villages where the people who killed the military in recent attacks came from. Naturally, when the truth has come out about innocent people being killed, Obasanjo who is a politician, not a General anymore, has ordered the military to stop aggressive action in the area. As with most situations like this, the situation will never be solved militarily - at some stage people have to sit down and have talks to sort out what needs to be done to reach a peaceful solution. The peoples of this area are grossly underprivileged, having been screwed by their community and political leaders with the collusion of the oil company managers, for decades. But, what goes around comes around . Finally I think we may have reached a level of violence where a compromise is possible. It's just like the recent air crashes - finally the number of deaths in a short period has reached a point where a little bit of progress is being made in improving aviation safety in Nigeria. Maybe the level of disruption to the Nigerian economy has reached the point where the government will be forced to make some meaningful compromises which, in the short term at least, may bring some real benefits to the impoverished indigenes of the oil-producing areas.
I hear that most of the staff at Escravos have now been moved to Benin City, but with no fuel supplies there I don't know what will happen. I guess that Aero must have been flying into Escravos today, unless they were moved by road. Shell is reported as having suspended its operations in the west of the Delta region until things quieten down. Osubi remains closed for now. Warri itself and Port Harcourt remain calm for the time being. Let us hope that cooler heads and wiser counsel will prevail and restore a temporary peace to the area.

[Musket33]

Hi Anjouan

Thanks for the current situation update. Good to get some reliable news, as opposed to the sensationalized news media reports. I'm glad you mentioned the other problems facing the President. Easy to forget just how much he must have on his plate. Would imagine the USA, Britain and most of Europe are in diplomatic contact with His Government at the moment.

Should imagine that things will quiet down while the hostage situation is resolved. My intial response was, the hostages where taken to stop the Military from attacking. Certainly a PR nightmare to have nine dead expats, due to helicopter gunship fire.

Thanks again for the current news. Hope you and others will keep the news flowing, even with their busy schedules.

Best Regards,
musket33

[212man]

7 years ago this month a young American pilot was taken hostage from a bar in Warri, close to where we lived (well, he was employed as a pilot but didn't get to do much flying during his brief BHL career!) Then another expat taken from the jetty. Then the Shell School headmaster with his two year old son, on a Sunday afternoon walk on the riverside. Then we had an aircraft attacked at Opuama and the crew just got airborne in time to save the a/c and pax but left the crewman behind (along with trainee crewman).

The it went quiet for a bit and the Civilian government came into power at the end of May. 1st of June saw the first successful attack (previos crews held for less than a day) of a 212 and the crew spent 3 days on holiday till the (now imprisoned) Bayelsa state governor helped secure their release as good PR. Later that month a Port Harcourt based 212 was attacked and the crew held hostage for 19 days. The day before they were attacked, a Warri based aircraft escaped in the nick of time.

June was the month Wari was declared a national disaster area by the federal government due to the inter tribal war that was going on.

August saw the 3rd 212 crew taken hostage as they were attacked offshore on a Texaco rig. They spent a week in Fishtown.

October saw the 4th aircraft attacked, again at Opuama. That crew were split and the Nigerian pilot spent a week away, the crewman and expat captain spent two weeks living in a 7 ft by 7 ft bamboo hut. Lived on bananas and pineapple, slept on the floor and took their dump in the river, squatting on the edge.

Welcome to the glamourous world of commercial aviation!

Around this time the federal government decided enough was enough and took revenge for the killing of 12 police man that had also been taken hostage. The army drove into the town of Odi one morning and wiped it out (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/543544.stm). All went quiet.

By the end of 1999, 50% of the 14 pilots in Warri Shell had been attacked or held hostage. We got 7 and 5 as a means of compensating us for the harsh conditions (had been 8 and 4). The Shell families that had left, had returned.

All became peaceful again. New pilots arrived from various places, often Australian. Line training continued with explanations as to why we had adopted the strange practice of circling round every location endlessly looking into the bushes for bad guys and waiting for the HLO (but land based) to come out waving his white flag to signify all was well. "Ah well, back in 1999 is wasn't like this was the reply".

Eventually, practices slackened. All the new pilots thought that talk of the troubles were just war stories from 'whenis' (when I was...blah blah)

2003 came and started with a bang. The western swamp from Warri erupted and installations were attacked and destroyed. Mass evacuations took place and these newer pilots got involved and saw it all first hand. I believe the record was 23 in the back of a 76 and 22 in a 155!

One chap with a gun, who hadn't mastered the art of deflection shooting, managed to get a bullet through the stabiliser of a 155.

Some (7?) poor unfortunate Americans working at Escravos were caught on the river in a boat and murdered.

Hey, but look on the bright side: at least we were getting paid 20,000 GBP less than the North Sea pilots, so had fewer financial worries!

Peace returned, with the help of a couple of gunships and generally enhanced military presence.

More new pilots appeared and were line trained. Why were we transporting troops to and from locations? Why did Otumara have a shelter next to the pad full of armed 'troops'. Why was there a machine gun nest on the river side next to the heliport? "Ah, well back in 2003 and 1999 etc". More war stories.

So it goes on. A few years from now, some new young pilot will be sitting there listening to some old fart bleating on about 2006, 2003 and 1999 and wondering what on earth he's on about; it's fine here now!

However, I'm damm sure there are some serious parties going on in 42, 44, 45, and 46 Coronation Street, to name but a few!!

[Mama Mangrove]

The following opinion was recently expressed by a contributor on this website:
http://www.theoildrum.com/story/2006...193/34505#more
"Nigeria is not really a nation-state; more accurate descriptions would be that it is a state of distress, a kleptocracy, a specific example of petrolism combined with tribalism, thuggery, pervasive corruption, poverty and the population trap.
There is no hope whatsover for Nigeria at this point. Conditions are so bad that neither Russia nor China would get involved (especially after the bad experiences the Soviet Union had when it messed around in Africa a few decades ago).
Nigeria is a horror movie that is going to go on and on and get worse and worse. In its future is far more genocide, rapid increase in death rates from multiple causes, and an increased flow of oil money overseas. Unless you have a magic wand to stop the movie, there is nothing constructive you can do except to help your Nigerian friends to escape the country. As individuals, many Nigerians are wonderful people, but they know what is happening; however, given the power of the kleptocrats who rule the country there is nothing the citizenry can do except to riot occasionally to express their despair".
Sobering thought

[SASless]

http://www.isn.ethz.ch/news/sw/details.cfm?id=14670

A lengthy article but a very good summary of the situation in Nigeria. The article focuses upon the disparity between the wealth being produced by the oil industry and the abject poverty that surrounds the source of that wealth.

At least Khadaffi in Libya had the wisdom to spread some of the money around to all of the citizens of the country. Shame the same cannot be said for the Nigerian leadership.

[Tokunbo]

Things in the Niger Delta are starting to calm down a bit now that the President has ordered the military to stop bombing Ijaw villages while negotiations go ahead for the release of the hostages.
Many of the flow stations and gas plants in the areas to the south and east of Warri have now been manned up again and it's business as normal, except for the large military presence at most of the swamp locations. However, if MEND attack in the numbers they have in their recent 'swarm' attacks, I wouldn't expect the military resistance at any of the sites to last more than a few minutes - they're mostly about as much use as a cold hot water bottle in a blizzard

[Mama Mangrove]

So Kobomani is finally being forced to leave the empire he created in Port Harcourt. I wonder if CHC really know what they are doing? Mani built up the Aero helicopter operation in Nigeria to one of the largest helicopter operations in Africa. He wasn't always popular but many, like myself, will always respect him and his business acumen. A lot has been said about the standard of the housing and other secondary aspects of the company, but at least Mani always lived in the same place as all the other expat staff and if anybody ever had a problem, he was always there to help if required. If there was nothing he could do, he always knew someone else who could do something. He was not a faceless ghost working only an 8-5 job 5 days a week and set apart in a luxurious $50,000 a year villa miles away from his boys. CHC seem to have been in an almost thoughtless rush to get rid of Nigel, who was tough when was what was needed to raise company standards and Mani who always kept new contracts coming in. Good luck to both in their future ventures Whoever has the benefit of their experience now, has gained from CHCs loss.
OLOG, in their take-over of Bristow maybe went too far the other way in keeping on a lot of old deadwood in Nigeria, but at least now that they have their name change (to Bristow ) the new American hitman is finally in Nigeria doing a weeding exercise and they have still kept on alot of good guys with a lot of N experience to help advise them. The next few months will be an interesting time in the helicopter patch in Nigeria. I'm sure a lot of newcomers will not last the course, there may be a change in the balance between the 2 major companies as they fight to gain predominance, but there will still be a big shortage of suitably qualified pilots as neither company is prepared to recognise their worth in continuing to fly in difficult circumstances.
Whatever, I'm sure that Mani will be remembered long after most of those sent to Nigeria to replace him, are long, long gone.
Good luck Mani, I'm sure it won't be long before your name is heard on this forum again. Cheers

[Phone Wind]

Maybe we'll see Mani back in Nigeria with Bristow. After the way he's been pushed out, with what he knows about Nigeria and Aero he'd be a great catch for Bristow. There would surely be some pilots who would follow him there as I hear that the new CHC management has been totally underwhelming in fulfilling any of the expectations that were raised when the top management from Vancouver visited last year.

[AndyMar]

Mi-17

Has anyone seen the NEMA Mi-17 recently? I saw one in similar colours at Kaduna (military) last week, and although from a distance, I thought it wore a NAF serial.
Andy

[SASless]

Durban divers' terror in Nigeria
By Myrtle Ryan

As gunfire re-sounded, bullets flew, doors were kicked open and screams rang out, two Durban men, working on an oil pipeline in Nigeria, cowered on the floor of their cabins - and narrowly escaped being taken hostage.

Back safely in Durban this week, Rob Hardstone, 37, and Peter Taute, 47, spoke to the Sunday Tribune about 45 terrifying minutes last Saturday morning. Rebel raiders - members of the Ijaw tribe demanding a greater share of the region's oil wealth - attacked a barge on which they were working and seized nine foreign hostages.

Hardstone and Taute were among a group of South African divers employed by a French company which had been sub-contracted to an American pipeline-laying company operating in the Delta.

Hardstone, Taute and four men from George in the Cape were based on the WB318 barge, operating in the Forcados oil fields, Warri State, in the Niger Delta. Hardstone, diving supervisor for the project, said he and Hans Kuntz from George had shared a cabin.

Hardstone and Taute were among a group of South African divers employed by a French company
"About 7am I woke up to gun shots and bullets started hitting the cabin," said Hardstone. "We dived to the floor and pulled mattresses over us."

The cabin was soon littered with broken glass, and more than 100 rounds penetrated the cabin at various angles from about 60cm above floor level to the ceiling.

"We could also feel bullets striking the floor beneath us. Fortunately, it was metal plate, so they did not penetrate," said Hardstone.

He and Kuntz listened to shots being fired and doors being bashed down, after which there was often a scream and more shots.

"We thought they were moving from cabin to cabin killing people," he said. Finally, the attackers reached their cabin, and the two men expected the worst. "Luckily, our door opened outwards and they kept trying to force it inwards."
'They were supposed to guarantee our safety'
The rebels then began to attack the door with an axe, smashing the handle. "We shouted 'We're coming out, don't shoot'," said Hardstone.

As they walked to the door, it swung open. Amazingly, they saw the rebels running away down the barge.

"They had their backs turned, they didn't see us, or we might have been among the hostages. We were only 5m from them," he said. Hardstone believes the rebels were operating to a time schedule, which was why they suddenly turned tail.

Taute, who was in a cabin in a different part of the barge, said he thought there had been about 40 rebels. Twelve heavily armed militia had been on board to protect the crew and oil workers (120 or more) and the exchange of fire, he said, had been between them and the militia.

He said the four men in their cabin had lain flat on the floor, listening to sporadic gunfire, hoping they were not going to be hit. They all feared the worst.

When it grew quiet, they looked out and saw the hostages - three Americans, one Briton (the head of security), two Thais, two Egyptians and a Filipino - being marched off, hands above their heads.

"We were lucky. The closest bullet to our cabin penetrated a fire extinguisher. But Rob's cabin took a lot of fire, because the militia were above it and that's where most of the battle took place."

Both men wondered if they would see their families again. "I wondered if I should try to grab my cellphone to call my wife (to say goodbye)," said Hardstone, but decided, as he would have to get up to reach it, it was safer not to try.

As soon as the coast was clear, he phoned home. "We didn't know if they were going to come back, or what would happen if they did."

The men said the insurgents had set the on-shore installation on fire.

After they left, two tugboats transferred the occupants of the barge ashore. But it was still a long way to safety. They flew by military helicopter to the town of Warri. Damage to its airstrip meant going by road to Benin then flying to Lagos.

Hardstone is angry at the way the pipe-laying company failed to alert them to the danger. "We heard the rebels warned them to get the expats out by Friday night," he said. Despite everything, he said, the company had glossed over the danger.
"They were supposed to guarantee our safety," said Hardstone

[Time Out]

CAPTIVE AUDIENCE: Nigerian guerillas display oil hostage Macon Hawkins.

Resolve crisis, hostage urges

26Feb06

ABUJA: American oil hostage Macon Hawkins, 68, has appealed for the international community to help resolve the Niger delta crisis and secure his release.

The Texan said he and eight fellow captives were being well treated, but urged the US and UN to help develop the region. "Tell President Bush I want to go home," he said on a boat with heavily armed militants.

He is being held in mangroves west of the oil city of Warri by an armed ethnic group known as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.

MEND is demanding the release of two leaders, removal of federal troops from the Delta and control of the region's rich oil reserves.

It kidnapped the oil workers last Saturday from their pipe-laying barge in the oil-rich southern Niger delta during attacks on facilities around Shell's Forcados oil export terminal.

Mobs killed four people in three Nigerian cities on Friday, extending a week of tit-for-tat religious riots that have claimed 151 lives.

Unrest began in the mainly Muslim north and was followed by revenge attacks in the Christian south.

Violence broke out when a Muslim protest against Danish cartoons of the prophet Mohammed resulted in the death of 28 people, mostly Christians.

http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/c...55E950,00.html

Looking at the picture you can just imagine how terrifying it would be to be in that position.

[Nigerian Expat Outlaw]

We see him here, we see him there......

AndyMar,

The NEMA Mil was flying in Port Harcourt today. Don't know if he still is as I heard him on tower and then I QSY'd. They do get around don't they ?

Cheers,

NEO

[Tokunbo]

Well. it looks as if it's business as usual in Nigeria if the following report from the Vanguard newspaper is anything to go by:

The purpose of ensuring only healthy aircraft fly the nation's airspace may have failed as only 10 out of 28 airlines operating in the country were audited by the Task Force set up by Aviation Minister, Prof. Babalola Borishade, before it was dissolved last week. Constituted November 22, 2005, in the aftermath of Bellview airliner's crash at Lisa Village in Ogun State, the Task Force was charged with responsibility of certifying the operational competence of airlines flying in Nigeria as well as airworthiness of their aircraft.

Although the Task Force was given a time frame of six weeks to conclude its assignment, it was learnt that the enormity of the task necessitated extension of time, which the minister turned down.

Coming at a time the regulatory agency, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has hinted of inadequate inspectors to execute such an assignment, some experts in the sector have considered the Task Force's dissolution as counter productive.

Among the airlines yet to be audit by the dissolved Task Force, and most of which still have their aircraft flying, are IRS; Kabo; Albarka; Afrijet; Bristow Helicopters; Pan African Airlines; Caverton Helicopters; DANA and Premium Air Shuttle.

Others include Ambjet; Associated Aviation; King Airlines; Wings Aviation; Allied Air; Dasab; Capital Aviation and Easylink.

Even the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Zaria, which was also pencilled down for auditing by the Task Force, has yet to be screened.

In contrast, airlines that have gone through the searchlight of the Ministerial Task Force are Chanchangi, Bellview, Sosoliso; EAS; ADC; Aerocontractors and Virgin Nigeria, amongst others.

One slightly cheering bit of news is that 6 of the 9 expatriates being held hostage by MEND have now been released, including the 68 year-olfd American Macon Hawkins. However another 3, 2 Americans and a Brit, are still being held.

[alouette]

The Nigerian "Muppet Show"

The entire nigerian conundrum appears to be like a mediocre orchestrated Muppet Show with a lot of people on a string and a whole lot more holding out their hands asking for bribes and else...but then again...welcome

[Helo wife]

Freed US hostage won`t return to Nigeria

Lagos, Nigeria, 03/03 - One of the six hostages freed by Nigerian militants Wednesday said he would not return to Nigeria and has advised the government to redress the situation in the oil-producing Niger Delta region.

"I won`t come back," said American Macon Hawkins, the first hostage to be released out of the nine who were abducted by the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) 18 February. Five others from Thailand, Philippines and Egypt were also released Wednesday.

Hawkins, whose release coincided with his 69th birthday, told journalists shortly after he was set free that he had been warned by the militants he would be killed if he returned to work in the oil region.

In an e-mail message announcing Hawkins` release, MEND said: "No ransom for him or any other hostage has been demanded or received. He was released on account of his age and poor health with a stern warning not to return to the Niger Delta unless as a visitor. If he (Macon) heeds this warning, (it) is entirely up to him".

The American said he was treated well by the militants, in what he called the true spirit of Nigerian culture of respect for elders, adding that they called him "papa" on account of his age.

Hawkins, who said he was the construction manager for the project being executed for Shell in the Niger Delta by US oil and gas servicing company Wilbros, stressed that the provision essential social amenities like hospitals and potable water would go a long way in helping to restore order in the restive region.

The militants, who abducted the nine workers to press their demand for a bigger share of the oil wealth, release of two leaders from the region and payment of US$1.5 billion by Shell for environmental pollution, are still holding three hostages from the US and Britain.

This report was from http://www.angolapress-angop.ao/noticia-e.asp?ID=421578

Some are still not released, as Tokunbo said. It's not over until they are all out.

[Mama Mangrove]

Well, from all that I'm hearing, 2 weeks after the complete change in management, the new CHC management in Port Harcourt has almost completely lost the confidence of most of the expatriates to change anything for the better. Exactly the opposite in fact. They live in superb, secure housing with all amenities and are doing nothing about improving the operation either on a personal or operational basis. The already dreadful housing in which most of the expatriates live is not being improved and there is a rush to try and get rooms in the former general manager's house as it's about the only decent place they have. A significant number of pilots and engineers have either quit or are looking elsewhere or have requested transfer to other CHC bases. The spare parts situation which was bad under Schreiner is even worse under CHC and the company management in Canada seems unwilling to do anything about it, just pumping in more people with no experience of operating in Africa.
As for Bristow, they're no better. Their new MD who says he's a real 'people person' is questioning everything but their supply of spares is if anything even worse than that of Aero. A large number of pilots has just quit from Lagos and in Port Harcourt they have just rented new houses in a really unsafe, high-crime area which is causing many complaints from the staff having to live there.
If you're thinking of going to work in Africa, stay clear of Nigeria for now. It's dangerous, underpaid and under-funded with management, whether in USA or Canada which is uncaring and just wants to milk the maximum possible out of the milk cow

[SASless]

Mama,

You don't have to sugar coat it for us....tell us what you really think!

Remember Colditz and the two swanky accomodations over the wall from it?

So what is going to change about how the Management lives and how the hired hands fare?